Mancini reveals Martinez talks

Roberto Mancini has revealed Manchester City made an approach for Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez earlier this summer.

Manchester City had enquired about Spanish midfielder

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed that they made an approach for Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez earlier this summer. City have been linked with a dynamic midfielder and Martinez is one of the players whose names were mentioned in the press. The Spain international is rated as one of the most complete midfielders in Europe and Athletic Bilbao are willing to let him go for £31million. Bayern Munich are now set to pay Bilbao that sum to recruit the 23-year-old, but Mancini claims that City too were in the running for the player. "We talked about Martinez with his club but it isn't easy an easy situation because there are three or four top clubs who want him," the Italian is quoted as saying in The Independent. "Sometimes it isn't enough to have the money to spend. When there are other top teams after a player, it is difficult." City will begin the defence of their Premier League title with a home game against Southampton on Sunday.