Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester City and Chelsea set for disappointment as Barcelona battle to keep Thiago Alcantara
Barca boy: Alcantara is tipped for the top[LNB]Barcelona are ready to fast-track Thiago Alcantara in a bid to see off interest from Chelsea and Manchester City. [LNB]The Barclays Premier League duo are lurking as the 19-year-old stalls on signing a new contract with the Spanish champions. [LNB]Alcantara is out of contract at the end of season after penning only a one-year deal amid interest from Chelsea last summer. [LNB]His father is former Brazil midfielder Mazinho - a World Cup winner in 1994 - who looks after Thiago and younger son Rafael's contracts at Barca. [LNB]Pep Guardiola is keen to incorporate Thiago in the first team when opportunities arise in a bid to show the Spain Under 21 international that he has a future at the Camp Nou. [LNB]But the diminutive midfielder faces huge competition from the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta to get a regular start and could be concerned by the club's continued pursuit of Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas. [LNB]Bolton tried to take Alcantara on loan at the start of the season but Guardiola retained the Italy-born player and has recently given him starts in Champions League and Spanish Cup matches. [LNB]He started the season playing for Barcelona B but will be formally moved across to the senior side for the second half of the season, having been given four recent La Liga run-outs from the bench. [LNB]Barca are confident of reaching an agreement, but have set a deadline of January 31 for contract talks and fear the future of 17-year-old Rafael, a striker, is linked to his older brother. [LNB] Man City 4 Aston Villa 0: Mario bags a hat-trick but insists: I'm not homesickArsenal 3 Chelsea 1: Gunners on fire as Walcott hands Carlo nightmareWatch all the Premier League goals every week on our brilliant Yahoo video playerCHELSEA FC
