City out of Sanchez race

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has said the club will not be pursuing highly regarded Udinese winger Alexis Sanchez.

English Premier League outfit City are reported to have made a 30 million-pound bid for the 22-year-old Chilean international, but Udinese – who qualified for the Champions League qualification round by finishing fourth in Serie A – want more for the star.

With Barcelona believed to be the front runners to capture Sanchez’s signature, Mancini said he had all but given up hope of luring him to Eastlands.

“I talked to Sanchez, he said he was willing to come to City,” Mancini told Sky Italia.

“But after the last offer we are out of the race for the Chilean player.”

Mancini has also denied speculation his star strikers Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli could be on their way out of City, although Mancini did say he was looking for another striker to join the pair and Bosnian Edin Dzeko.

“Tevez is a good player and I think he will remain at City. I have three strikers, we need another one,” Mancini said.

“Balotelli to AC Milan? For now, certainly not. In the future, you never know.”

Mancini is a fan of prolific Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi, but is unsure about the potential 30 million-pound fee for the 26-year-old Argentine.

“I like Lavezzi a lot, but I don’t think he is worth the 30 million euros of his clause,” he said.