Daily Mirror

Alves hits Pep with title taunt

- BY DAVID ANDERSON

DANI ALVES has taunted Manchester City, claiming he snubbed them because he wants “to be a champion”. Blues boss Pep Guardiola is gutted Alves has turned down the chance to be reunited and signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain worth an amazing £230,000 a week.

City offered Alves £120,000 a week to come to the Etihad and believe the Brazilian, who was married at the weekend, jilted them

at the altar because of PSG’s £24million contract. Alves, 34, apologised to Guardiola at his unveiling and claims he chose PSG over City to boost his trophy cabinet. “If Pep Guardiola and Manchester City feel hurt, I am sorry,” said Alves, who quit Juventus on a free. “I have come here to be a champion. “PSG have been flirting with me for three years, and now we are married. There’s a very interestin­g project in Paris.

“I’m a man who loves challenges. The work PSG has been doing over the past several years is very encouragin­g.”

City have tried to shrug off the disappoint­ment of losing out on Alves at the 11th hour and they were not prepared to offer such a staggering deal to a veteran who would not have played every week. They will focus on prising Kyle Walker away from Tottenham, who want around £50m for the England internatio­nal.

The Etihad side are signing Brazilian midfielder Douglas from Vasco da Gama for £10.7m and will loan the teenager to their new Spanish sister club Girona.

French midfielder Olivier Ntcham has left City, joining Scottish champions Celtic for £4.5m.

 ??  ?? MONEY TALKS Alves is greeted by PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi after signing his £24m contract
MONEY TALKS Alves is greeted by PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi after signing his £24m contract

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