City turn to Mata after being quoted £44m for Sanchez

Manchester City are expected to turn their attentions to Valencia winger Juan Mata after being quoted a huge £44million to finally seal the signature of Alexis Sanchez.

The FA Cup winners are keen to add quality to Roberto Mancini's side before players return for training in early July.

They have been long-time admirers of Sanchez and though City appear to have blown Manchester United's bid for the Udinese wide man out of the water, he still prefers to join Barcelona.

So Mancini is looking again at Mata, who is also interesting Liverpool and whose representatives say he is willing to discuss a transfer to the Premier League once Spain's Euro Under-21 campaign ends on Sunday.

He would cost around £20m but the Blues' interest in Porto striker Hulk appears to be over because of a huge release clause in his contract.

That puts his transfer fee at £89m and though City are confident they could negotiate, the Portuguese side stuck to their guns over Andre Villas-Boas' £13.2m release clause and say they will accept nothing less than the stipulated £27m for Radamel Falcao and £36m for Joao Moutinho, both targets for the new Chelsea boss.