Last Updated: Thu, 08 Nov 2012 14:16
Roberto Mancini will make a fresh attempt to sign Roma's Daniele De Rossi in January amid reports the midfield ace is now keen to join.
The Manchester City boss pursued the Italy star last summer but he failed to sort out a deal and, in the end, De Rossi opted to stay with the Serie A club.
However, the latest reports suggest the 29-year-old has now made it clear he does want to quit Roma and is keen on a move to the Premier League champions, to team up with fellow Azzurri international Mario Balotelli and countryman Mancini at Eastlands.
De Rossi is one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe and has been linked with City for well over 12 months now but so far Mancini's pursuit has been fruitless.
It looks like a fresh bid, in excess of £20million, could be made by the club in the new year, though, in a bid to land the star, who it is reported would earn himself a contract worth around £100,000-a-week.
City will have been encouraged to hear earlier this week that club general Franco Baldini had suggested that any reasonable offers for the midfielder would now be considered.
Baldini told Sky Italia: "Should an offer arrive for him, we will consider it.
"In summer we heard an offer from Man City and because we listened to it, it means we took it in consideration. Then we decided to give up.
"Should another offer will arrive, we will listen again it, but we could also decide to give up on it again."
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