Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini makes move for Atlético Madrid's Colombian striker Radomel Falcao
Roberto Mancini is understood to have met with representatives of Radomel Falcao to persuade the £45 million striker to join Manchester City.
The City manager flew to Madrid to speak to Jorge Mendes. Falcao, the 26-year-old Colombian, is expected to leave Atlético Madrid at the end of this season.
More than one meeting has taken place, which suggests City are pushing hard to outmanoeuvre Chelsea and Real Madrid.
It appears that Mancini is driving the deal and he has also revived his interest in Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi.
Falcao wants a $6 million (£5 million) salary after tax, which means around double that in gross terms, so the full cost would be around £85 million.
Mendes also represents Real coach Jose Mourinho, which has made that club favourite to sign the striker, while he has also kept strong links with Chelsea.
However, Chelsea could only acquire Falcao should they sell Fernando Torres and may concentrate on signing younger attacking players such as Bayer Leverkusen’s André Schürrle.
City would also have to sell if Falcao was signed with the futures of Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko most in doubt.