Milan and Madrid to go head-to-head for Man City star

The Italian giants are set to go head-to-head with Real Madrid for the 24-year-old defender, who can play ar right-back or in the centre of defence.

Milan were impressed with Richards during City’s Premier League winning campaign last season and have earmarked the England defender as a possible replacement for Thiago Silva, who joined big spending Paris St Germain recently.

But they will face competition from Real Madrid, whose boss Jose Mourinho tried to sign Richards during his time at Chelsea, and he will be alerted to the Italian club's interest.

Mancini, though, will be loathe to lose one of the few players who have come through the ranks at the Etihad in recent years and established themselves as a first-team regular.