City Say No To €50m Arsenal Playmaker Target

Manchester City have insisted that they are not chasing long-standing Arsenal target Eden Hazard, with Roberto Mancini claiming that while the midfielder is a top player, the side haven't opened talks for a deal.

Hazard has long been the subject of transfer gossip, and after Lille slapped a €50 million price tag on the star, only the best clubs in Europe have been attributed to a possible move for the 20 year old.

It was long believed that Arsenal might make a record move for Hazard, with the youngster fitting well into Arsene Wenger's transfer policy.

Wenger admitted in the summer that Arsenal were closely following Hazard's progress at Lille, telling reporters: "We are following him [Hazard]. Personally I think he has real talent and the level needed to play at Arsenal."

But recently, with the Belgium international's sky high price tag, City have been growing increasingly connected to a possible deal for Hazard. Mancini, however, has denied the speculation.

"No, this is not true," he told Sky Sports News when queried on a move for Hazard.

"He is a good player but at this moment we have not spoken about him."

Many pundits would argue that in reality Lille will probably be willing to let Hazard go for a lower fee than the €50 million they insisted on, and while Arsenal have never spent nearly that amount of money on a player, Wenger has admitted in the past that for the right person the club would pay a big fee.

City are the subject of speculation with stars leaving the club as well as coming into the fold, and there has not been a name mentioned more than Carlos Tevez in the transfer realm over the last six months, as the striker seeks a move away from Etihad Stadium.

Mancini is hoping to offload the Argentina international in a permanent deal, though AC Milan have been hoping to negotiate a possible loan spell.

"We hope AC Milan want to take him, it could be closed in one week or 10 days, but I don't know if it is possible," Mancini said on the subject.

"I am confident we can close this situation quickly if it is possible, but they cannot take him on loan."

Arsenal, meanwhile, have confirmed an incoming striker today, with Thierry Henry being revealed as the club's hopeful back up for Robin van Persie for the next two months on a loan spell.