Manchester City Wants $49 Million for Balotelli: Soccer Roundup

The following is a roundup of soccer stories from U.K. newspapers, with clickable links to the web.

Balotelli for Milan?

Manchester City is seeking 37 million euros ($49 million) to trade Mario Balotelli to AC Milan, the Guardian reported, citing comments by the Italian team’s vice-president Adriano Galliani.

If the teams fail to agree on a price, there is an outside chance the striker could join Milan on loan, the Guardian said.

Cole Pay

Chelsea’s Ashley Cole is the world’s highest-paid defender after negotiating a one-year contract extension worth almost 200,000 pounds ($317,500) per week, the Daily Mail reported.

The 32-year-old left-back was attracting interest from Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, according to the Mail.

Last-Minute Arsenal

Arsenal is weighing a last-minute move for Mapou Yanga- Mbiwa as the Montpellier defender prepares to discuss personal terms with Newcastle United, the Daily Mirror reported.

Newcastle has agreed to pay the French club 6.7 million pounds for the 23-year-old France international, the Mirror said.

Liverpool Bid

Inter Milan rejected an 8 million-pound bid by Liverpool for Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho, the Daily Mirror reported.

The Reds are chasing Coutinho, 20, after negotiations to sign Blackpool’s Thomas Ince collapsed, according to the Mirror.

To contact the reporters on this story: Alex Duff in Madrid at aduff4@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Elser at at celser@bloomberg.net