Manchester City fight Sir Alex Ferguson to net Wesley Sneijder

ABOVE: Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has put Wesley Sneijder top of his wanted list

ROBERTO MANCINI is set to go head-to-head with bitter rival Sir Alex Ferguson in a £30m battle to land Inter Milan star Wesley Sneijder.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has put Wesley Sneijder top of his wanted list after failing to land Alexis Sanchez from Udinese.

Manchester United have also held talks with Sanchez but the Chilean wonderkid has made it clear he prefers a move to Barcelona instead.

Now Starsport understands Mancini’s growing frustration has made him turn his attentions to Sneijder, 27. The Italian has sounded out former club Inter Milan about what it would cost to lure Sneijder to Eastlands.

The news will be a big blow to United boss Fergie, who has been tracking Sneijder for six months, having earmarked the Holland midfi elder as the perfect replacement for Paul Scholes. But the Scot knows he won’t be able to compete on financial terms with his billionaire neighbours, with Sneijder demanding wages of £200,000 a week.

With City also offering Champions League football next season, Mancini hopes Sneijder’s experience and talent will help his side to become a major European powerhouse.

It is the third time this summer Mancini and Fergie have been scrapping for the same player.

Sanchez has held talks with both Manchester clubs while Tottenham’s Luka Modric is also a target but Chelsea remain favourites to land the Croatian star.

Fergie, meanwhile, has suffered another blow with the news French Under-21 defender Raphael Varane is set to snub a £9m move to Old Trafford for PSG.