Manchester City manager Robert Mancini, speaking in New York ahead of friendlies against Sporting Lisbon and New York Red Bulls, suggested his summer spending spree may continue with a move for Donovan, who impressed in a loan spell with Everton last season and maintained his status as the USA’s leading player at the World Cup finals.
Speaking to a mostly US audience, Mancini said: “Landon Donovan is a good player. It’s possible [that City will sign him].” City officials, however, denied the club have made an approach for the LA Galaxy captain, who has been linked with a return to Goodison Park.
More info on what Mancini and City have been up to this summer after the jump…
Whether Mancini was playing to the gallery in New York remains to be seen, but City’s interest in Milner, the Aston Villa midfielder, and Balotelli, the Internazionale forward, is genuine and officials are attempting to reach a compromise fee on both. “We are following all these players but we will take our time,” said Mancini.
City are understood to have offered about £25m for Balotelli but Inter, who have opened talks with Liverpool over a similar-priced deal for Javier Mascherano, are holding out for more. Mancini denied he would be taking a risk in signing the 19-year-old, who has had several high-profile disputes with team-mates and the former manager José Mourinho.
City will break the £100m barrier for the second successive summer should they secure Milner or Balotelli at the current asking price, and Mancini is adamant the club will improve on last season’s fifth-placed finish.
