Source: Telegraph
Manchester City turn attention to David Villa as £70 million summer buy
Villa was one of a number of possible targets that City made inquiries about but were told by the Spanish club that they will have to wait until the end of the season before a deal could be struck. [LNB]After Kaka turned down the club's £100 million offer Hughes has stepped up his interest in Chelsea forward Didier Drogba, though Villa remains his preferred option, even if that means waiting until the summer. [LNB]Villa was top goalscorer at Euro 2008 when his goals helped Spain to become European Champions. [LNB]Real Madrid and Chelsea have both had a long-standing interest in the 27-year-old though the forward put pen to paper on a new deal at Valencia only last year that ties him to the club until 2013. [LNB]That would increase the fee demanded by Valencia but City's Abu Dhabi-based owners would have little problem meeting their valuation, and a figure of £70 million plus either Elano or Jo has been mooted, according to a report in the Daily Star[LNB]. [LNB]Fernando Gomez, Valencia's sporting director, has given City encouragement that a bid in the summer would be likely to prove successful. [LNB]'We are calm at the moment, but it is normal for people to be talking about David,' he said. [LNB]'He is our best striker and we do not want to sell him. But, in football, nothing is impossible.'[LNB]Villa's club manager, Unai Emeri, has sought assurances that he will be able to keep hold of his best player but Vincente Soriano, Valencia's president, would only go as far as to say that Villa will remain in Spain beyond the current transfer window. [LNB]Jose Luis Tamargo, Villa's agent, said: 'A number of English clubs are interested in David, but that is nothing new and the decision will be down to Valencia.'[LNB]
