Source: Telegraph
Manchester City could have signed Nigel de Jong for just £2.3m
De Jong completed his move from Hamburg to Eastlands for £19m, signing a four-year deal.[LNB]However, according to the Sun[LNB], had City just waited another four months and moved for the Dutch international in the summer, they could have saved themselves a whopping £16.7m.[LNB]This is because De Jong had a clause in his Hamburg contract stating he would be available for £2.3m this summer, something City were made aware of.[LNB]De Jong, who cost Hamburg just £1m from Ajax in 2005, is now the most expensive player to leave a Bundesliga club.[LNB]Hamburg coach Martin Jol said: "The club just couldn't refuse the offer."[LNB]Meanwhile, the Sun also claims that Aston Villa have been quoted £5m by City for Daniel Sturridge.[LNB]The 19-year-old is out of contract in the summer and Mark Hughes is desperate to tie the promising striker to a new long-term contract at Eastlands.[LNB]However, a number of top clubs have shown interest in Sturridge, including Blackburn and Everton, and the player himself will need convincing he has a future at City, with the club being linked with so many other high-class forwards.[LNB]The latest are Didier Drogba and Thierry Henry, who could cost a combined total of £40m, less than half what City were prepared to pay AC Milan for Kaka.[LNB]Reports even suggest that a deal for Drogba could involve Robinho moving to Chelsea, which may solve both club's problems.[LNB]
