If these deals do come of it will be pure fantasy football:, Article taken from the MEN:
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.
