MANCHESTER City are on the trail of Tunisian international defender Hatem Trabelsi.
The Ajax full-back is available on a Bosman free transfer and Blues boss Stuart Pearce sees him as a long-term solution to a position that was held by five different players last season.
Sources in Amsterdam have confirmed that City are interested in the highly-rated international but Pearce faces stiff competition for the signature of the 29-year-old.
Inter Milan, Spurs and Paris St Germain are all said to be bidding for the player's services with Trabelsi yet to show his hand and waiting for the right offer in what will be possibly the last big move of his career.
Ironically, if the Tunisian eventually chooses to head for the French capital and a stay with PSG, he may well displace Bernard Mendy, who himself is seeking a second spell in the Premiership after a stint with Bolton Wanderers. He, too, has been linked with a move to Sportcity.
Disappointing
Ajax's disappointing league season - they finished fourth in the Dutch Premier League - has led to departure of boss Danny Blind as coach and they are now planning a clearout.
Many observers of the Dutch domestic game are surprised that Trabelsi has not been offered new terms given that he started 27 games in the season just ended and featured in Ajax's unsuccessful Champions League campaign.
Trabelsi could well replace Danny Mills in the City squad after it emerged last week that boss Pearce has told him he can seek a new club if he wishes.
Former England international Mills has lost out to a succession of youngsters in his specialist spot - Nedum Onuoha, Micah Richards and even Matthew Mills - as well as Jihai Sun and David Sommeil since signing a lucrative five-year deal when Kevin Keegan enticed him over the Pennines from Leeds two seasons ago.
Mills, who has played 50 times for the Blues, is interesting both Sheffield United and Aston Villa but may have to take a pay cut to find a new club. City could even end up being asked to do a deal to settle his contract that has three years still to run.
Will Trabelsi sign for the Blues? Have your say
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milan or city ..... never in a month of sundays. MUEN nonsense. Do a real story. investigate the board and proactive
Another pile of rubbsih! Can't we try and sign someone tried and tested??
Why bother even mentioning this ? "but Pearce faces stiff competition for the signature of the 29-year-old."
That says it all yet another none story from the MuEN, we all know that the Evening News is going down the pan, is it any wonder when all you can come up with is second or third hand rumours. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
So its city vs psg,spurs and milan to get trabelsi end of, no chance!CTID
Hmmm how about no!
He won't be interested and we won't be able to afford his wages. Same old story. Still, much more encouraging than the rumours we've offered ??2 million for Melchiot!!!!!!
FACES STIFF COMPETITION. WELL WE HAVE HAD THIS ALL SEASON SO ANOTHER NO CHANCE THEN ,CANT BELIVE RUMOUR IN PAPER 2 MILLION FOR MELCHIOT THIS IS JUST GETTING BEYOND A JOKE IS HE ONE OF SP CLASS SIGNINGS,WE ARE SLOWLY BECOMING THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE PREMIERSHIP.FOR CHRIST SAKE CITY STOP LYING TO THE FANS AND TELL US THE REAL SITUATION ,I ACCEPT SP HAS TO KEEP HIS CARDS CLOSE TO HIS CHEST ON TARGETS .BUT THE DROSS WE ARE BEING LINKED TO ARE OLD JOURNEYMEN. POOR CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYERS,CANT BELIEVE WE CANT ENTICE SOME QUALITY TO OUR CLUB ,THE STADIUM ,PITCH, FACILITIES, ARE SECOND TO NONE ,SO COME ON CITY THE BOARD , GIVE US SOME HOPE NOT ALL THIS SILENCE, WE DESERVE BETTER FROM YOU ,PAY THOUSANDS OF POUNDS A YEAR HOME AND AWAY TO BE TREATED LIKE THIS ,THE BOARD, SP, PLAYERS, SAY WE ARE THE BEST FANS IN THE COUNTRY ,WELL THEN CITY TREAT US LIKE IT, SOME COMMENT THATS ALL WE ASK WE PAY YOUR DAMM WAGES AFTER ALL CTID BUT GETTING TOTALLY DEPRESSED BY THE DAY
Trabelsi? Why not van Nistlerooy, Ronaldo, or maybe Pele? We keep getting linked with all these signings who have the option of clubs playing UEFA Cup of even Champions League football. We couldn't compete against Wigan or Bolton for a new signing at the moment, so what's the point. We need to be realistic or we'll end up scrapping around for anything we can get come August!
Another waste of newsprint. More likely Pearce will return at full back next season!
No
How about some news on Pearce's offer of ??2million for Melchiot ?
M-I-D-F-I-E-L-D, Stuart. M-I-D-F-I-E-L-D.
I'm starting to worry. While SP appears determined to stockpile forwards & defenders he has paid little or no attention to the midfield; by far our weakest department. Is he planning the ultimate route-one side? 5-0-5? The guy's a tactical genius!
When it comes to full backs, City fans always Hate'Em.
Blah Blah Blah,even though i dont believe a word of what the MUEN puts on its pages i find myself bored at work so i flick through the comments just to see how dispondent the rest of the citizens are. My god are we low,but not as low as we will be by may 07
When it comes to fullbacks City fans ALWAYS Hate'Em.
This is a general comment on City. To the board and SP. Please get rid of any player involved with Willie McKay, he is trouble and so are his players. Furthermore do not buy any players that use him. He should be banned from the ground, and access to any of the young players we have. The man is causing us all sorts of problems and filling players heads (Barton/Distin) with all sorts of rubbish. He is the worst sort of agent, engineering problems to cause moves to line his own pocket. He is not bothered about the players just his wallet and Mediteranean yacht. SP never mind all the players you want to clear out, clear out McKay now, before it is too late. CITD
This must be another
invention of the
MEN. Why would a
player of Trabelsi's
stature want to come
to City? Especially
after the way we
finished last
season.
Melchiot is out of contract and has been released by brum. Why would Pearce offer 2million for him?? Nubends.
Yes, the story's probably rubbish, but what a bunch of moaners you all are, predicting relegation before even the fixtures have come out. Do us all a favour, clear off, will you?
a non starter! do us a favour and try to print some realistic or even factual reports cos you're being silly now.
This bloke is a cracking player,but we have nop chance.
No real news today then. What I'm hoping is that SP is playing his cards so close to his chest that the press has got not even a sniff of the class midfielders he is chasing. I do hope I'm right because if I'm not we are going to look pitfully thin in the middle come August.
This is utter rubish. Melchiot was released by Brum in the summer so he would be on a free cant you even get your facts straight
Mmmmm let me think! rainy manchester or sunny milan!!
Wild, wild, wild piece of speculation. Maybe his agent is Willie McKay. Some of the other comments are spot on. With Richards, Onuha and Sun in the squad, right back is not a problem position for us. Midfield is....