By MARTIN BLACKBURN
ROBERTO MANCINI faces a race against the clock in his bid to land top targets Daniele de Rossi and Javi Martinez this week.
So the Manchester City boss had Benfica’s Javi Garcia watched at the weekend as he works on a ‘Plan B’.
The champions are set to complete their second summer signing in the next 24 hours, when Scott Sinclair arrives for £6million from Swansea.
City know deals for £31m-rated Atletico Madrid star Martinez and Roma skipper De Rossi could be difficult to push through before Friday night’s deadline.
So trusted first-team coach Fausto Salsano was sent to watch Benfica’s defensive midfielder Garcia, 25, impress in a 5-0 win over Vitoria Setubal.
Swansea have not been happy at City’s handling of the Sinclair transfer.
Chairman Huw Jenkins said: “I’d have thought they would have dealt with it a little bit better than they have. It has dragged on too long.”
Mancini is also looking to thrash out a £12m deal for Fiorentina defender Matija Nastasic, 19.
