Rumour mill: City draw up Crouch plans
MANCHESTER City boss Stuart Pearce will move for England striker Peter Crouch - but only if he has to sell one of his star players, according to a newspaper report.
The Guardian claims that City has drawn up contingency plans should the club be forced to sell Shaun Wright-Phillips, Sylvain Distin or even both players.
If that happens, the new City manager will make a move for Southampton forward Peter Crouch - the subject of an unsuccessful £5m bid from Liverpool earlier thi smonth.
He would also follow up the club's official inquiry to Everton about Marcus Bent, the paper claims.
Pearce is known to be looking at strengthening the club's forward line, with only Robbie Fowler left as a senior striker at Eastlands.
Without transfer funds, though, he is having to look at loan deals and free transfers.
And the paper claims that Mamadou Bagayoko, Nantes' Mali-born striker, will be his target in that case.
www.manchesteronline.co.uk