MANCHESTER CITY have opened talks with Benfica over the availability of the Portuguese club's much-coveted winger Angel di Maria. The left-sided Argentine international is seen as a direct replacement for Robinho, who has been assiduously courted by Barcelona and is eager to return to Spanish football whenever City approve a transfer.
Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira met City officials in Liverpool on Thursday before his club's Europa League victory over Everton. Though Benfica will resist selling Di Maria during a season in which they hold a realistic chance of regaining the Portuguese title for the first time in five years, they will encourage suitors in the summer. Di Maria, whose transfer rights are 20% owned by a third-party investment fund, is valued by the club at more than £27m. At 21, the player has established himself in Argentina's World Cup squad, having scored an audacious winning goal in the final of the 2008 Olympic tournament.
His admirers in England include Chelsea sporting director Frank Arnesen, who has been cleared to recruit an attacking midfielder in January after the Court of Arbitration for Sport temporarily lifted the club's ban on transfers. Chelsea are also considering bidding for Slovakia international Marek Hamsik of Napoli and Bosnia playmaker Miralem Pjanic, who has impressed in this season's Champions League.
Though City plan to take a less aggressive approach to recruitment than in the previous three transfer windows, they retain the finances to outbid every other Premier League club, with the pressure likely to build as they struggle to keep pace in the title race. They were held to a 3-3 draw at home by Burnley yesterday, their fifth Premier League draw in a row. After spending approaching £200m on transfers since Sheikh Mansour's takeover, the club's hierarchy believe the squad have been improved to such a degree that only a few, high-quality acquisitions need to be added. Club officials say they are highly unlikely to sign more than one player in January, and then only if the asking price is realistic. Mark Hughes, the manager, has meanwhile overseen a massive expansion of the club's scouting network to inform the recruitment process.
Though Robinho remains City's record signing, the forward's position at the club has been contentious almost ever since his £32.5m purchase from Real Madrid. Hughes fell out with Robinho's compatriot and close friend Elano, complicating his working relationship with both Brazilians. Barcelona then failed with an attempt to take the attacker back to La Liga in August, though they have maintained their interest in the 25-year-old and will again try to sign him in January.
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Robinho wants to join Barca as soon as possible but last week he was not optimistic that City's board would agree to him leaving Eastlands. City say they have had no recent conversations with the Catalan club over transfer and have not granted them permission to speak to the player.