Manchester City line up £8m Daniele De Rossi

Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2011 by thesun.co.uk

Manchester City line up £8m Daniele De Rossi
WANTED ... Daniele De Rossi

ROBERTO MANCINI is poised to go back in for Daniele De Rossi with an £8million bid in January.
Manchester City boss Mancini was blaming a lack of midfielders after seeing his side blow a 2-0 lead in Sunday's draw at Fulham.

And now he is set to return for Roma's Italian international when the transfer window reopens in January.

Mancini fancied anchorman De Rossi in the summer but City's paymasters were keen to balance the books after signing Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri for a combined £59m.

But SunSport understands Mancini has received encouraging signals from his Italian contacts that tough-tackling De Rossi, out of contract next year, is refusing to sign a new deal — and that he has had his head turned by City.

Roma put a £25m price tag on the player and in the summer Mancini said: "De Rossi would be absolutely perfect.I rate him one of the best midfielders in the world."

It was previously thought De Rossi would never leave the Italian capital but Roma are refusing to be held to ransom over his demands for £170,000 a week.