JOHN Terry, captain of Manchester City and England, holding the World Cup Trophy to the Johannesburg skies.

It is an outlandish vision, for any number of reasons. But, if whispers in the corridors of Eastlands are true, it is a dream which has taken root in the fertile mind of Blues owner Sheikh Mansour.

He is said to have told his City minions that Terry is the man he wants wearing the armband for his club and for England.

Convinced that England will have a successful campaign in South Africa next year, he feels the capture of Terry would be a major coup for the Blues, both in terms of building a football team and enhancing the club's prestige.

But it is not the case that the Sheikh is allowing his sporting heart to rule his business head. Terry would fit neatly into the plans of manager Mark Hughes to build a solid, home-grown backbone to his team, as he is a man of undoubted leadership and proven Premier League pedigree.

The Chelsea icon was recently named Father of the Year, and he would be a real daddy to City's defence, perhaps the area of the team which now needs most work.

With ambition unlimited, and wealth untold, the Blues owner has made it plain that he intends to build City into a club to rival Real Madrid and Juventus.

And he will not shirk from pursuing the seemingly untouchable, as the audacious bid for Kaka in January proved.

There is even a strong rumour that City enquired about Terry's availability in the same January transfer window but were given a sharp rebuff.

Since then, things have changed. City are busy knocking down walls, and the expected capture of Carlos Tevez and possibly Samuel Eto'o, would remove the final few obstacles between City and fantasy football.

Muscle

The Blues have already shown they have the financial muscle to take on England's biggest clubs - by pipping Chelsea to the signature of Robinho and now possibly Tevez, easing the Argentinian out of United's grasp and whipping Gareth Barry away from long-time suitors Liverpool. Terry, at the moment, looks like a wish too far. He is the epitome of the one-club man, ensconced in Chelsea's fabric and the archetypal Londoner.

But with Real Madrid back on the scene as the world's biggest spenders, and City able to match them pound for pound, if not in terms of allure, Chelsea are already starting to look a little like yesterday's millionaires.

Gareth Barry gave a glimpse into the way City are now being viewed in football ranks after signing for the Blues and spurning the chance to join Champions League contenders Liverpool.

He said the chase for Kaka, which appeared to end messily for City, had actually been a factor in his decision to come to Manchester - he was taken aback by the ambition of it.

Whether Terry would be tempted is another matter, especially as he has made it plain, with his 29th birthday beckoning, that he wants a Champions League medal in his cabinet before he retires.

But one thing City will not be contemplating, under this regime, is a failure through lack of trying.

Do you think City have any chance of landing Terry? Have your say.