Manchester City prepare £12m bid for Toure
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Manchester City set to make £12 million bid for Kolo Toure
Manchester City will make a £12 million bid for Kolo Touré, the Arsenal centre back, now that the North London club have concluded the signing of Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax.
City tried to sign Touré in January, but while Arsène Wenger was loath to lose the defender in mid-season, the manager has accepted that Touré wants to leave and would rather sell now than lose him for nothing when his contract expires next summer.
With the African Cup of Nations taking place in Angola in January, Wenger is also aware that he would probably lose the Ivory Coast defender for about a month anyway.
Mark Hughes, the City manager, wants to pair Touré with Joleon Lescott, 26, of Everton and England, to form a more balanced, new-look central defence next season.
Hughes wants a left-footed central defender who can also operate at left back if necessary, but with Everton opposed to selling Lescott and likely to demand at least £20 million, Hughes may turn to Matthew Upson, of West Ham United.
City are expected to make their second signing of the summer early next week, when Roque Santa Cruz joins from Blackburn Rovers in a deal that could be worth up to £18 million.
With William Gallas, the France defender, likely to follow Touré out of the exit door, Wenger is in the market for another centre back and is monitoring Sébastien Bassong, 22, the Newcastle United defender.
Vermaelen, 23, who has signed a four-year contract, will cost up to £10.2 million.
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Hand off him ,u can take Gallas
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12m? I think 12m for Gallas probably possible.
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gallas 5m enough alr lo....
but if the gunners gonna lose this toure, backline will be weaken alot, uh?