According to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester City could be set to beat José Mourinho's Chelsea to the summer signing of Monaco striker Radamel Falcao. The Colombian forward joined the French side in a £50m deal last summer, however, the 28-year-old's first season at the club has been plagued by injury. In just 17 appearances for Les Rouges et Blancs, Falcao has scored 9 goals and has fallen way behind fellow world-class forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (25 goals) in the Lique 1 scoring tables.
However, Manchester City could be set to offer the striker an escape route from Monaco after the Manchester Evening News revealed that director of football Txiki Begiristain had met with the player and his agent on Tuesday night. According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, Singaporean businessman Peter Lim and Monaco owner Dimitry Rybolovlev were also present at the meeting to discuss potential signings.
The Daily Mail report that the blues are closing in on a deal for £20m rated FC Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala. It seems Txiki Begiristain has been as busy man this week as sources in Portugal claim the 49-year-old was present at Porto's Europa League tie with Sevilla on Thursday night to watch the Frenchman secure the winner with an impressive diving header before returning to Manchester. The defender almost joined City in a deadline day deal back in January only to see the transfer fall at the final hurdle. However, the Mail believe that if all goes to plan, Mangala will wear the sky blue of Manchester City next season.
(Mangala is believed to be Manuel Pellegrini's no.1 defensive target this summer)
The Daily Mail also believe that City will attempt to buy British this summer to satisy the league's home grown quota. The blues are preparing to offload several English players at the end of the season including Joleon Lescott, Scott Sinclair and Gareth Barry, and will have to replace them to counter the league's limits on foreign players. The blues have reportedly identified Southampton's Luke Shaw, Everton's Ross Barkley and Nottingham Forest's Jamaal Lascelles as potential homegrown signings.
(Jamaal Lascelles, 20, has impressed for Nottingham Forest this season)
In other news, City's hunt for a goalkeeper is still on if reports in Italy are to be believed, and Inter Milan's Francesco Bardi is the latest stopper to be added to the list. Tuttosport write that Manchester City will go head to head with rivals Manchester United for the signature of the 22-year-old who has been in top form on loan at Livorno this season after learning of Victor Valdes's 7-month injury. Joe Hart may be in top form, but the media don't believe his place in the City side is secured.
(Bardi has made 105 saves for Livorno this season)
