Del_Bosque
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Daily Mail says we are now moving to looking into foreign targets and name checks Veloso.
It is a toughie though Parker or Veloso?? Hmmmmmm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-starts-look-abroad-better-value-players.html
It is a toughie though Parker or Veloso?? Hmmmmmm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-starts-look-abroad-better-value-players.html
Frustrated Hughes starts to look abroad for better value players
By Joe Bernstein Last updated at 8:43 PM on 10th January 2009
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Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is considering shopping abroad in the transfer window because Premier League clubs are pricing themselves out of the market.
Hughes and the club's billionaire backers from Abu Dhabi have reached the end of their tether after being stunned to learn it will cost them more than £15million each to sign defenders Joleon Lescott of Everton and West Ham's Matthew Upson.
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It follows a month of being quoted vastly over-inflated prices for players with Premier League experience and they are now prepared to look in Europe rather than be exploited at home. Hughes gave City's backers a shortlist of three centre-halves - Lescott, Upson and Chelsea's Alex - after the collapse of Kolo Toure's move from Arsenal last week, but none of the selling clubs are willing to negotiate at below £15million.
Hughes is now considering Sporting Lisbon holding midfielder Miguel Veloso and has also looked at defenders in Holland. So far, only £12m Wayne Bridge has arrived from Chelsea in the January window.
Blackburn are holding out for £20m for Roque Santa Cruz so they can sign a replacement while West Ham have also turned down bids worth a total of nearly £30m for Craig Bellamy, Scott Parker and Upson. The Hammers let Matthew Etherington, Calum Davenport and Lee Bowyer go last week to ease the pressure of having to sell key players.
A source said: 'Part of the problem is that so many clubs are involved in the relegation issue, they would rather hold on to their players to keep them in the Premier League then sell in the summer if they have to.'
Lescott, believed to be Hughes's top target, is keen to join City after being played out of position at left back this season but Everton are refusing to contemplate his departure unless City pay in excess of £15m.
This lack of movement is leading to unrest in the City dressing room with several players unsure where their futures lie after January.
Israel defender Tal Ben Haim and Brazilian pair Elano and Jo are getting fed up with being left in limbo as Hughes chases other players in their positions.
Even goalkeeper Joe Hart has become unsettled with Newcastle No 1 Shay Given being strongly linked with a move to Eastlands. Hart, 21, fears a long spell on the bench will damage his England prospects after recently breaking into Fabio Capello's squad.
Ben Haim is keen to link up with former manager Sam Allardyce at Ewood Park and will be a makeweight in the Santa Cruz deal if Allardyce gets his asking price and lines up a strike replacement.
But until Hughes signs players, he cannot let existing ones go and that is causing disharmony in the ranks.
City's game at Portsmouth was postponed yesterday because of a frozen pitch – which was good news for City, who would have been without the injured Stephen Ireland, Shaun Wright- Phillips and Robinho.