City's £130m hitlist

Mike Whalley

June 14, 2010

TARGET: Dani Alves

Roberto Mancini is stepping up his interest in Daniel Alves as City bid to add extra World Cup magic to their squad.

Mancini and football administrator Brian Marwood have placed Barcelona’s Brazilian right-back on a £130m wanted list that includes Yaya Toure, James Milner and David Silva.

And City are also determined to ward off Rafael Benitez’s interest in taking Carlos Tevez to Inter Milan.

Benitez is ready to launch a £35m bid for the Argentina striker, who was City’s top scorer last season with 29 goals. The Spaniard, who has just replaced Jose Mourinho at the San Siro, wanted to take Tevez to Liverpool last summer, but couldn’t stump up the cash.

Benitez wants a replacement frontman at Inter if Tevez’s Argentina team-mate Diego Milito fails to agree a new contract.

Mancini, though, sees the 26-year-old former United forward as key to his plans.

And mystery surrounds the future of British record signing, Robinho, who has hinted he may return to Eastlands from his loan spell despite interest from Barcelona and Besiktas.

The Brazilian said: “They have the money and ambition to make it into the top four in England. And, believe me, next season City will. Maybe I'll be there to help them.

“When I moved to City a lot of Brazilians did not really know much about the club and they thought it was a step down.

“But I'm now thinking that people think it was the right decision for me.”

The Blues are gearing up for a busy time in the transfer market after the World Cup as Mancini chases top-class talent.

City intentions

City’s boss has already declared he is not planning wholesale changes to his squad – but wants the players he does bring in to make a major impact.

Alves, 27, is rated as one of the best right-backs in the world.

Sources in Spain indicate that the defender, who Barcelona rate at around £45m, would consider an approach from City.

Alves, who is under contract at the Nou Camp until 2012, played a key role in Barca’s title win last season.

His team-mate Toure remains a target for City, who want to team him up with his older brother Kolo at Eastlands. The Ivory Coast defensive midfielder, 27, is set to come up against Alves when their two countries meet in a vital World Cup clash on Sunday.

Yaya’s agent Dimitri Seluk has made it clear that the midfielder is keen on a move to the Premier League, with Chelsea interested.

The champions, meanwhile, have nosed in front of City in the battle for the attentions of Silva.

Valencia insist they have had no firm offers for the winger, despite reports that City had made a £25m bid.

Manuel Llorente, Valencia’s president, has confirmed that they are prepared to sell, though.

Llorente said: “Right now, nothing is out of the question because we need to safeguard the future of the club.”

But Silva’s agent Amadeo Rengel said: “The option of Chelsea is the most interesting in terms of the sporting project.”

The winger himself insists he is going nowhere for as long as Spain are in the World Cup.

Silva said: “The calm that there is here in the Spain camp helps a lot for not thinking about anything else.”

City, though, are on course to complete a deal to buy England midfielder Milner from Aston Villa after the World Cup.

What do you think of City's wishlist? Have your say.

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Tulse Luper, Greater Manchester (14/06/2010 at 09:07)

Alves is quality, but £45 million for a right back? City need to sign David Silva and forget all about Milner's ludicrous £30 million price tag.

Peter Doherty. As good as it gets, Levenshulme (14/06/2010 at 09:07)

I don't think any of these players will end up with us next season (if indeed we are after all of them, which I doubt) apart from Milner, who just so happens to be the one I'd least like to see in a blue shirt...

mcfcfraser, Torquay (14/06/2010 at 09:10)

Mesut Ozil- even before last night he was known to be pretty handy- he would be a far better buy than Silva, especially as the latter has already said he doesn't want to come here!

roy corris (14/06/2010 at 09:14)

these are all well and good but james millner is the only proven premership player

Taras Bulba (14/06/2010 at 09:18)

Very contradictory methinks

"City’s boss has already declared he is not planning wholesale changes to his squad – but wants the players he does bring in to make a major impact"

After

"Mancini and football administrator Brian Marwood have placed Barcelona’s Brazilian right-back on a £130m wanted list that includes Yaya Toure, James Milner and David Silva"

We either are, or are not, planning wholesale changes

A Manc and blue (14/06/2010 at 09:27)

If these signings do come of it will be fantasy football

Eric, Dutch (14/06/2010 at 09:30)

Do I prefer Sissoko to Yaya Toure? Do I prefer Dzeko to Ibrahimovic? Do I prefer Van der Wiel to Dani Alvez? That's a three time yes because I prefer young and hungry. Or do we want to try and level Barca's debts by paying over the odds for players they want to offload?

Still reckon a good left and right back, a creative midfielder and a leftwinger will do the trick. And forget about a leftwinger is Robinho comes back reborn and actually wants to play for the shirt and delivers. I know, a long shot.

clause, denmark (14/06/2010 at 09:31)

Alves maybe, Milner maybe, Silva yes, Toure yes- saw Germany-Australia last night and Germanys midfiielder Mesut Ozil was playing very well. City should really go for him. He is playing in a tough league and he is young. Absolutely outstanding

dingdongbell, north (14/06/2010 at 09:33)

are we not bothering with a gerrard type player, who can make things happen? you know, the type of player we have been screaming out for since Benarbia left.

Carlitos tevez love child, Manchester (14/06/2010 at 09:34)

If we can add mezut Ozil to the list we got good chance if all these targets come off. cant see us signing alvez though!!

Schrodinger's cat, in a box (14/06/2010 at 09:40)

“They have the money and ambition to make it into the top four in England. And, believe me, next season City will. Maybe I'll be there to help them."

We had all that last season, so why didn't he get his head down and help us push for a top four place then?

More likely he's realised that other clubs won't pay the wages we do. Also, I'm guessing that if he has a good WC, then he'll change his tune again and start singing the praises of another club or coach if he detects interest from elsewhere.

Has he burnt his bridges at City?

Scarf ace (14/06/2010 at 09:41)

Would love Alves at RB but also I would love to see a focused Robi back playing behind Tev & Ade/?. I know a lot of blues have a problem with him amd I understand why but City have come so far in the last 12 months that i think he will ft in better now and wouldn't neccessarily expect to be picked in every game. If, and its a big if, he does want to come back then I for one will welcome him back.

The Wright-Phillips Show, A Football Ground Near You (14/06/2010 at 09:48)

Top players if we can get them, but what about a left back?

Bob the Baker, God bless the Glazers (14/06/2010 at 10:04)

We should have gone for Smalling & the Little Pea! Tee hee!

I agree with everyone that Ozil would make a great addition.Get in there Cooky!

MART (BEBB) Broughton Blues, SALFORD (14/06/2010 at 10:06)

All sounds good to me. We appear to be casting the net out far & wide on the TOP SHELF, although speculation will be rife during World Cup.
After World Cup I`m quite confident that once we get the first TOP SHELF meat on the table that others will follow, and providing we keep hold of players that are on the edge of our squad / first11 who we still have control over (still in contract), then that should almost guarentee a good start to season until Jan Window. Top4 challenge or even Title challenge - who knows? Just let the out of contract fringers (ie. Petrov, who is now 31, out of contract, doesn`t chase back / no tackle in him, and (crucually) is now below our pecking order level in terms of quality we need)).

ONWARDS & UPWARDS!

I was, i am, i will be again, Germany (14/06/2010 at 10:14)

There is no news to be had during the WC so lets all pluck a few names and fantasy-figures out of the air. City are more likely to sign Van der Wiel than blow 45 squillion on another samba-flop.

Evan Georgiou (14/06/2010 at 10:16)

I believe that we will spend approximately 130m pounds...we spent 11m of it already,on Boateng so that leaves approximately 120m with four players to come....if Lescott is not going to be used at LB then we need a LB at least one striker and probably two midfielders....Alves is not a LB.Toure ,Milner and Silva are midfielders and we need two...personally I would not take Yaya on principle.....I am more interested who we will take as a striker because Tev's and Ade cannot rely on RSC to back them up.....

citypedro, manchester (14/06/2010 at 10:20)

Alves is a great player but Brazilians aren't suited to our climate of PL football. Toure has hardly played for Barca this season. Ibrahimovic hasn't impressed and Silva doesn't want to leave Spain.

Milner would be decent at less than £20 million and the other targets should be European or Argentinian as they seem to handle the rigours of the PL best.

Pivo, Manchester (14/06/2010 at 10:22)

I suggest everyone takes a look at the comments from st helens blue(exiled) (14/06/2010 at 08:18) on the Robinho to Besiktas thread, he talks more sense than the MEN journos.

blue to bits, Old Trafford,Stretford. (14/06/2010 at 10:22)

Mischief making again by the MUEN

Linking us with players THEY would like us to waste our money on.

If Marwood & Co do not solve the left back/midfield playmaker roles (and we need two of each for cover) then next season will be a washout and the following season will see attendances drop below 40K average - end of.

Looks like my valuation of £3m (not £30M) for Milner was a little high after Saturdays outstanding contribution. (and before I get the 'he was ill' excuses what kind of player lies to the medical staff to get a game at the risk or ruining our world cup chances? - not someone I want in a blue shirt)

Jack Thorley Trafford, Timperley (14/06/2010 at 10:23)

I would not buy any player who is currently playing in the Premiership,why put £25 million or more into the transfer coffers of some of our rivals,we buy one they buy three!

Cat Stabber, Strangeways (14/06/2010 at 10:28)

I've just seen Bobby Manc, big Steve Lomas and Mido having a meal in the Print Works. It seemed big Stevie was try to broker a deal of some sort. I think Mido would be a top replacement for Tevez when he leaves.

Love the Glazers, Hate United, Gorton (14/06/2010 at 10:30)

We are setting our sights too high yet again and are unlikely to capture players such as Alves who want Champions League football. Silva has already said he won't join City because he wants to play in the Champions League. We need to look at players currently at Europa level teams as we did in signing Boateng. How about Hamsik from Napoli? I've also heard Tevez will leave for Inter with Balotelli coming in the opposite direction.

black and blue, manchester, where else? (14/06/2010 at 10:31)

i reckon milner would be very happy to come to city. we should refuse to budge over our offer and, if he doesn't come, he will be one unhappy player at the start of next season.

i would have liked to have seen more players bought before the world cup started.

Taras Bulba (14/06/2010 at 10:32)

Talking of left backs is that Cunningham kid in possession of the quality to step up to the plate. Could anyone who has seen him regularly pass a comment please?

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