CITY BIG FOR BEN

Pep chimes in with £52m Mendy bid

MANCHESTER CITY are paying a £12million premium on Benjamin Mendy after caving in to Monaco’s £52m demand for the France defender.

City rated Mendy at £40m at the start of the summer – £ 5m adrift of the French champions’ own valuation.

But the asking price has risen dramatically as the transfer market has become inflated.

And City’s £54m deal to land Kyle Walker from Tottenham prompted Monaco to revise their asking price.

Weakness

Etihad bosses have been negotiating from a position of weakness after allowing full-backs Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna to leave when their contracts expired.

They had no option but to pay Spurs what they wanted for Walker after Brazil right-back Dani Alves agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

And their need for Mendy increased when Pep Guardiola revealed that Aleksandar Kolarov would be allowed to join Roma.

City will send Patrick Roberts on loan this season – but only to a Premier League club. The 20-year-old starred for Guardiola’s side during their 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in Houston, but it appears that he will be surplus at the Etihad once more.

Top-flight clubs have been put on red alert over Roberts and a host of sides in the Championship have been left disappointed.

Desperate

Not to mention Celtic who were desperate for the winger to return to boss Brendan Rodgers again after his successful spell with the Bhoys last term.

Huddersfield, who are fighting Brighton for Izzy Brown, will be interested in taking Roberts along with Watford.

Sevilla have confirmed that they are preparing a formal offer to take City defender Eliaquim Mangala on loan.

Inter Milan and Marseille are also keen, but the chance to play in Spain and in the Champions League appeals to the 26-year-old.

Borussia Dortmund are ready to rival Arsenal and Tottenham for City wonderkid Jadon Sancho, 17.

He is one of the hottest young properties in football, but is stalling on a new deal at the Etihad.