Manchester City won't pursue Real Madrid star Isco despite Alvaro Negredo's broken foot
Jul 26, 2014 22:30 By Simon Mullock
Manuel Pellegrini is an admirer of the Spanish star, but the City boss will not be adding to his squad once the arrival of Eliaquim Mangala is confirmed
Sunday Mirror Sport understands that City’s summer recruitment drive will stop once the protracted £32million arrival of Eliaquim Mangala from Porto has been completed .
Negredo will be sidelined for at least two months after suffering the injury during City’s friendly victory at Hearts nine days ago.
And with both Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic plagued by fitness problems last season, there were suggestions in Spain that City might launch another move for Isco.
The champions lost out to Real Madrid in the £25m race to sign the 22-year-old last summer when Manuel Pellegrini tried to bring the attacking midfielder with him from Malaga.
But Isco is surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu following Madrid’s capture of Colombian World Cup star James Rodriguez from Monaco.
Pellegrini is still an admirer of the player he nurtured as a teenager on the Costa del Sol but, after adding Mangala to previous summer signings Fernando, Willy Caballero and Bacary Sagna, City will close the chequebook.
A City source said: “Unless there is another injury to another key player, then Mangala will be the final addition to our squad in this transfer window.”
Stu ForsterCrocked: Alvaro Negredo will miss the start of the season
The Etihad club will still be open for business, however. Jack Rodwell is attracting interest from several Premier League clubs, but City want a straight cash deal worth £10m for the midfielder rather than a loan arrangement.
There have been no takers either for £8m-rated Micah Richards, but Matija Nastasic is attracting interest from Arsenal, Inter Milan and Roma and Javi Garcia has been targeted by Napoli.
PSV Eindhoven are also desperate to land teenage defender Karim Rekik on a permanent deal after the Dutchman impressed on a year-long loan last season. Rekik, 19, has been given a chance to impress Pellegrini on City’s pre-season tour of the United States after breaking into Holland’s World Cup squad.
If a buyer can be found for Nastasic, Rekik will get the regular place in the City squad he craves. But Eindhoven boss Phillip Cocu believes he could develop into one of the world’s best defenders and is ready to pounce.
