City hope to sign disillusioned Torres

New York: Manchester City remain hopeful of beating Chelsea and Barcelona to the £70-million (Dh398 million) signing of striker Fernando Torres should he leave Liverpool, says manager Roberto Mancini.

The Spain international is known to be concerned by the financial doubts lingering over his current club and, as manager Roy Hodgson intimated over the weekend, feels let down by a litany of empty promises over forthcoming investment made to him by Liverpool's hierarchy.

Contrary to suggestions, Torres is yet to make a decision on his future, but Hodgson's admission that he has done all he can to persuade the player to remain on Merseyside will give both the English and Spanish champions hope that he can be tempted away.

Unrivalled resources

Despite their unrivalled resources, City were thought to be resigned to missing out on Torres, but Mancini is sufficiently confident they can overcome the player's doubts about moving to another side absent from the Champions League to list the Spanish international alongside Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko as his three alternatives as he seeks attacking reinforcements. "Torres is one of the best strikers in Europe and already knows the Premier League very well," he said. "But it depends on his situation, his price and whether he wants to come.

"There are two or three strikers that we could go for. The choices we have [all over the team] are four or five fantastic players."

Mancini's openness is a refreshing change from most of his peers, who are reticent to discuss any transfer targets for fear of derailing delicate negotiations or inadvertently weakening their bargaining positions. Such is the privilege of wealth. He was happy effectively to start his own transfer rumour when arriving in New York — suggesting to a delighted American press that Landon Donovan was one possibility — while he is equally frank when it comes to the more realistic matter of James Milner, who is likely to be the subject of a £24-million final offer from City.

Punishment for wealth

"He is a very good English player who can play in different positions," Mancini said. "But every player has their proper price. Every player we ask about, people ask a lot of money. When City inquire about a £10-million player, the club asks for £20 million. That is not good for us." Such is the punishment for wealth.

Despite his rivals' opportunistic greed, Mancini has enjoyed his summer. He has spent £82 million already on David Silva, Yaya Toure, Jerome Boateng and, most recently, Aleksandar Kolarov. Torres and Milner apart, he is likely to augment that with the £33 million capture of Balotelli.

Pressure, Manicini insists, does not affect him. He is adamant that managing City is just his job, a job he knows well. "This year, there are five. I think all these teams over the years have spent a lot of money. Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool. They seemed like City do now. There is not a difference."