Touchlines

EVERTON will battle it out with Arsenal to sign Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh for 7m pound in the summer.

New Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has given the club's chief executive Garry Cook a list of players he wants to sign, with Juventus leftback Giorgio Chiellini one of his targets. Mancini is also keen on Inter Milan rightback Maicon.

TOTTENHAM are set to move for Portsmouth fullback Nadir Belhadj in January, with Blackburn and Everton also interested in the Algeria defender.

BERMINGHAM City want to turn Joe Hart's loan switch from Manchester City into a permanent move and are also close to agreeing a 2.5m pound deal for Sporting Gijon midfield Michel.

MANCINI'S first job as Manchester City manager will be to hold showdown with Brazilian forward Robinho, who the Italian sees as the key to City's future. Mancini faces a battle to win over a number of disillusioned City players who are outraged by the sacking of former boss Mark Hughes.

CITY delayed sacking Mark Hughes for three weeks to give Mancini an easy start as manager, after the Italian verbally agreed to take charge at Eastland on Dec 2. Hughes had 18 months left on his contract and will receive a maximum pay-out of 3m pound following his departure from City, but the final figure he receive will depend on how quickly he finds a new job.

MANCINI took the Eastland job knowing he was not the club's first choice. City's cheif executive Garry Cook flew to Amsterdam at the start of December to offer the post to Guus Hiddink.

ALAN CURBISHLEY could return as West Ham boss if David Sulivan's takeover of the Upton Park club goes through.