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Transfer Talk: Move for Robinho is Milan's back-up plan

Giles Lucas
Friday 27 August 2010 00:00 BST
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Manchester City forward Robinho will be a target for Milan should the Italian team fail in their efforts to bring Zlatan Ibrahimovic to San Siro.

The Barcelona striker, who moved to the Nou Camp from Internazionale for £57m last summer, has been monitored by the Rossoneri and their chief executive, Adriano Galliani, has made no secret of his desire to sign the 28-year-old.

Yet he accepts that completing the deal for Ibrahimovic will be difficult, and if the club are unable to land the forward then Robinho will be on their radar.

"Robinho is the alternative to Ibrahimovic, but we want the Swedish striker," Galliani said of the out-of-favour forward.

The Brazilian international, who moved to Eastlands from Real Madrid for £32.5m in 2008, has scored 16 goals in 38 games for City but struggled to settle in Manchester and has just returned from a six-month loan spell with Brazilian club Santos.

Blackburn Rovers have reportedly made a bid for the Elfsborg forward Denni Avdic. The 21-year-old Swedish striker has also interested Newcastle, West Bromwich and West Ham, but Rovers now appear to be the favourites to land him.

The Wigan manager, Roberto Martinez, has told Birmingham City to increase their offer for the midfielder Charles N'Zogbia.

The Frenchman, who has scored eight goals in 49 games for Wigan since moving from Newcastle in 2008, has been a Birmingham target all summer.

"We had a couple of offers and now the offer is less than the one we had in May," Martinez said. "It doesn't look serious to me. The valuation is very clear. If the team matches it [they] can speak with him. Until that happens, he is a Wigan player."

Norwich City have signed the West Bromwich defender Leon Barnett on loan until January. The 24-year-old centre-back, who played 20 games during a loan spell at Coventry last season, moved to The Hawthorns from Luton in 2007 and has played 69 games for the Baggies.

"Leon is a quality player who has played Premier League football," said the Norwich manager, Paul Lambert, "as well as having solid experience at Championship level, so I am delighted to bring him in."

Kilmarnock have agreed a loan deal with Aston Villa for their promising 19-year-old striker Harry Forrester.

"We have agreed everything with Aston Villa to bring Harry on loan to the club," confirmed Kilmarnock's manager, Mixu Paatelainen.

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