'Manchester City told David Villa will cost them £120million'
Manchester City are reeling after Spanish giants Valencia quoted them an amazing world record £120million fee for top target David Villa.
City supremo Garry Cook brought in top officials and agents to hammer out a deal - and the Arab-backed money men were willing to shatter the British transfer record with a £40m-plus bid. But City, who gave the Villa and Valencia negotiators VIP treatment, were rocked when the fee was revealed. And the Spanish side are not willing to drop the price.
Cook and boss Mark Hughes are bitterly disappointed that the move now looks doomed. They are finding it almost impossible to land their targets despite their new-found wealth. Valencia have financial problems but refused to go lower than £120m.
Villa is interested in the move but is powerless to make the transfer happen. He has been Hughes's top target since he topped the scoring charts at Euro 2008 - and since City came into their Abu Dhabi billions. City insiders reveal they have now virtually given up the chase.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pageid=1...amp;toyear=2008" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pagei ... oyear=2008</a>
And so it starts...clubs trying to blantantly take the piss......