CITY are ready to beef up their squad with prime Argentinian talent.

The Blues are still monitoring Espanyol winger Pablo Zabaleta and may be offered the services of Valencia midfielder Ever Banega.

Mark Hughes and his coaches have long since been admirers of Zabaleta, having travelled out to watch the 23-year-old when they were at Blackburn.

Sources in Spain have been expecting a bid all summer and now that the Ronaldinho transfer is finally dead are bracing themselves for Hughes to make a move.

Zabaleta began his footballing life as a defensive midfielder but can operate anywhere along the right side, a position that the Blues have had great difficulty filling since the departure of Shaun-Wright Phillips to Chelsea. No fewer than half a dozen players were tried in the role last season.

Problems

A Spanish passport holder, Zabaleta would have no work permit problems moving to the Premier League. The former captain of the Argentina Under-20 side featured in the 2006-07 Uefa Cup final defeat to Seville. He has five senior caps.

Countryman Banega who made his name at Boca Juniors in his homeland and then through the Argentine Under-20 side, is a central midfielder.

Still only 20, he made such an impact with his passing and reading of the game that during last January's transfer window, Valencia, wishing to rebuild having been knocked out of the Champions League, weighed in with a £14m pound bid and handed him a five-and-a-half year contract.

A month later, Banega's meteoric rise continued when he won his first, and so far only, senior international cap but since the man who bought him, Ronald Koeman, left The Mestalla he has made little impact and is reportedly going to be allowed to leave either on loan or on a permanent basis this summer. Valencia are said to be short of cash.

Italian pair Lazio and Juventus could lead the charge for a player who can also perform a holding role. Juventus, who offer Champions League football, were in the running before Banega decamped to Spain and are favourites to land him but Hughes may fancy augmenting his midfielders, especially if a loan deal can be thrashed out.

Would you like to see Banega and Zabaleta? Have your say.