Transfer news and rumours: Arsenal and Man City to battle for Villa

Arsenal transfer news update brought to you by Sports Bulletin football rumour mill: if you’re an Arsenal fan you may wish to put down any sharp objects you are holding because this could be the end of the David Villa experiment.

In today’s Mirror it is reported that the departure of Mario Balotelli from Manchester City has opened up opportunities for chiefs at the Etihad franchise to move for another striker and the name on their hit list is David Villa, with whom Arsenal have been courting throughout the January transfer window.

The back pages have accounted for three rejected bids from Arsenal for the Barcelona striker with the top offering being a mere £8m, and now Manchester City are ready to weigh in with a bag full of cash to hijack the deal.

This spells bad news for Wenger who is keen to bolster his line of attack and has just today and tomorrow to finalize a deal, but with the Premier League champions able to offer Villa a sweeter pay package the Arsenal boss will need to improve his offer or watch another prime target be poached from under his nose.

Last night Manchester City were held to a stalemate with Harry Redknapp’s overachieving QPR, Carlos Tevez was subbed late in the game which would usually present an option for Mancini to throw on a striker, but in this case the cupboard was bare.

Signing David Villa could be the saving grace Mancini needs to keep his job at the end of the season, as the papers have rumoured once or twice he is close to being sacked.

Balotelli is set to undergo a medical at AC Milan today after City agreed to sell him for £17million, a sizable amount less for what they paid for him two years ago.

Whether his replacement is to be David Villa or not the speculation will continue until the end of transfer deadline day tomorrow, and this saga could go right to the wire if both Wenger and Mancini are keen to land the Barcelona striker.

Tonight Arsenal face Liverpool in a grudge match that will test Olivier Giroud’s hunger for goals in top flight football following a recent sunny spell in the Premier League and FA Cup.

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