Hulk of FC Porto with the Europa League trophy City are eyeing up more top European talent as their hopes of landing Alexis Sanchez appear to be slipping away.
The Blues are considering moves for either Porto striker Hulk or Spain Under-21 ace Juan Mata as alternatives to the Udinese star.
Sanchez appears to have hit a stalemate but wants the situation sorted out before he begins his Copa America campaign with Chile on July 1.
He failed to fly to Paraguay with his international team-mates for a friendly last night and is currently holed up in a Santiago suburb, and has booked an open-ended Air France flight to Spain.
City still hope that Barcelona’s insistence on offering £22m may kill that deal and Sanchez may relent on his preference for the European champions.
But they are also checking out other identified targets, including Mata, who has been one of the stars of his country’s progress to the European Championships final in Denmark.
Hulk is perhaps the closest to Sanchez in style, a quick, skilful forward who can play wide left or right and has netted 31 goals in 42 games for Europa League winners Porto this season. The pursuit of Sanchez has swung heavily in favour of Barca but Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo has played an intricate game to drive up the player’s price – still giving the Blues a tantalising hope.
He said: “Barcelona are ahead of City but the player has not expressed a big preference between the two clubs. Of course, we will consider his opinion. The deal is not done because there are still details yet to iron out.”
City are also considering a move for Lyon and France left-back Aly Cissokho, although they will not pay an expected £19m asking price.
The Blues are considering moves for either Porto striker Hulk or Spain Under-21 ace Juan Mata as alternatives to the Udinese star.
Sanchez appears to have hit a stalemate but wants the situation sorted out before he begins his Copa America campaign with Chile on July 1.
He failed to fly to Paraguay with his international team-mates for a friendly last night and is currently holed up in a Santiago suburb, and has booked an open-ended Air France flight to Spain.
City still hope that Barcelona’s insistence on offering £22m may kill that deal and Sanchez may relent on his preference for the European champions.
But they are also checking out other identified targets, including Mata, who has been one of the stars of his country’s progress to the European Championships final in Denmark.
Hulk is perhaps the closest to Sanchez in style, a quick, skilful forward who can play wide left or right and has netted 31 goals in 42 games for Europa League winners Porto this season. The pursuit of Sanchez has swung heavily in favour of Barca but Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo has played an intricate game to drive up the player’s price – still giving the Blues a tantalising hope.
He said: “Barcelona are ahead of City but the player has not expressed a big preference between the two clubs. Of course, we will consider his opinion. The deal is not done because there are still details yet to iron out.”
City are also considering a move for Lyon and France left-back Aly Cissokho, although they will not pay an expected £19m asking price.
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