Hughes eyes Sidwell as first signing
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New Manchester City boss Mark Hughes plans to hijack Aston Villa's bid to sign Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell and make him his first capture.
Hughes is keen to put his own stamp on the Eastlands squad having taken over the reins from Sven-Goran Eriksson.
And while owner Thaksin Shinawatra works on an ambitious bid to sign Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho from Barcelona, the Daily Mirror says Hughes has targeted Sidwell as the perfect partner for Stephen Ireland.
The former Rovers boss is not alone in his admiration of the £6million-rated battler, though, and Martin O'Neill plans to make Chelsea an offer if he loses skipper Gareth Barry to Liverpool.
The Villa boss is also reportedly monitoring Tom Huddlestone's situation at Spurs, but the race for 25-year-old Sidwell is much fiercer, with Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham, Everton and Blackburn all looking to recruit him this summer.