City keep eye on Diarra move

MANCHESTER City would appear to be waiting in the wings should Lassana Diarra’s £20 million move to Real Madrid breaks down.

City are looking to strengthen in the transfer window.

Manager Mark Hughes said: “He is a player I like. He is a good player but he is still a Portsmouth player.”

Hughes, meanwhile, wants his side to finish off their UEFA Cup group campaign in style.

City will avoid the teams dropping out of the Champions League should they cement top spot against Racing Santander tonight.

With an important Barclays Premier League match to follow on Sunday at West Brom, Hughes could face a selection dilemma in Spain.

But he promised: “We are looking forward to the game as we want to finish off our group matches in a good way.

“Even though we have qualified for the next stage there is still something to play for and that is important.”

Hughes will be without skipper Richard Dunne in Spain as he has remained at home after his wife gave birth to a boy yesterday.

Benjani Mwaruwari (hamstring) and Daniel Sturridge (Achilles) are sidelined through injury.