Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has rubbished reports linking the Premier League champions with a move for Celtic defensive midfielder Victor Wanyama, Sky Sports understands.
Mancini ‘scouted’ the 21-year-old Kenya international during the Celts 3-0 UEFA Champions League defeat to Italian powerhouse Juventus in Glasgow on Tuesday.
However, the Italian boss played down reports linking City with Wanyama during his press conference ahead of his side’s FA Cup clash with Leeds United on Saturday, insisting that he had never watched the Kenyan midfielder in action prior to Tuesday’s match against Juventus.
“I saw him for the first time against Juventus, I never saw him before,” revealed Mancini.
“But every time I go to see a game, the next day people say ‘Manchester City
want to buy this player’.”
Although Mancini insisted that he is not interested in signing Wanyama at the moment, he did offer up the slightest of praise for the player, dubbing the defensive midfield boss a ‘good player’.
Wanyama, who joined Celtic from Belgian Pro League side Beerschot AC for a fee of £900,000 in July 2011, has also been strongly linked with a move to English Premier League table-toppers Manchester United.
According to reports, the Kenya international is currently valued at £10 million by the Scottish Premier League champions.
The 21-year-old has scored 12 goals in 79 appearances since joining the Scottish giants from Beerschot AC in the summer of 2011.
Gaston linked with Serie A return
Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino is not losing any sleep over speculation linking Gaston Ramirez with a return to Serie A, with AC Milan and Fiorentina reportedly keen on the Uruguay international, Sky Sports reports.
Ramirez, 22, became the Saints’ club record signing in the summer after joining the club in a £12 million deal from Bologna.
The Uruguay international has bagged three goals and three assists in 18 Premier League appearances this season.
“Fiorentina and AC Milan interested in Ramirez? It’s normal because Gaston is a young and strong player who is proving at Southampton he can rise to the occasion,” Pochettino told tuttomercatoweb.com.
In addition to speaking out regarding the rumours surrounding Gaston Ramirez, Pochettino revealed that he was in talks with Inter Milan regarding Philippe Coutinho in January.
Of course, the Brazilian No. 10 playmaker would go on to join Liverpool in a deal worth £8.5 million.
“I often spoken with him in the last weeks of January. I had him last year at Espanyol, I know him well. But eventually he went to Liverpool,” added Pochettino.
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