Mancini on alert

MANCHESTER City boss Roberto Mancini may consider making new signings this month, but only if there are significant departures first.

Considerable speculation inevitably accompanies wealthy City into any transfer window but this time the main movements could be outgoing.

City are looking to offload absent striker Carlos Tevez while defenders Nedum Onuoha and Wayne Bridge, both surplus to requirements, are also available.

The club have already held negotiations with AC Milan about Tevez but have not yet reached an agreement as their hope is for an immediate sale while the Italians want to loan the player first.

Mancini believes a deal could be done quickly if Milan agree to their terms but he says other clubs are also interested.

The Italian said: "We need to sell three or four players. With Carlos we could close (a deal) with a club in the next three or four days, and also possibly Wayne. Then maybe we can do something.

"We hope for us and for Carlos we can do a deal. There are two or three teams in Italy, a team in France, and another team involved — I hope for him he can start to play football. We could maybe bring someone in, but we need to sell."

Mancini feels he has enough firepower and is more likely to target a midfielder with key man Yaya Toure soon to depart for a lengthy spell on international duty. City have been linked with Roma star Daniele De Rossi.

He said: "De Rossi is a top player, like Yaya, but he plays for Roma, a top team, and he was born there. I don't know if he will leave."

City hope to have striker Mario Balotelli and midfielder Samir Nasri back from illness for Sunday's FA Cup third round clash against Manchester United.