Manchester City eye transfer of Aston Villa's Fabian Delph for just £10m thanks to release clause

Midfielder was on course for a Bosman when he re-signed in January for a club then facing relegation but a key detail of the deal's terms has now emerged

• 

Toofer: City need midfielders AND home-grown players - Delph is both

Manchester City are ready to exploit an astonishingly low buy-out clause in Fabian Delph’s new contract.
MirrorSport can reveal Aston Villa and England midfielder Delph is available for only around £10million under the terms of the deal he signed in January.
Delph had relegation-threatened Villa over a barrel when he shocked many fans by staying on fresh terms barely five months ago.
He was due to be a Bosman this summer, which would have allowed him to quit for nothing. But Villa did not want to see him leave on a free and also did not want to sell in the winter window, when they were fighting the drop.
After signing the contract, Delph said he couldn’t bring himself to walk out for nothing this July after owner Randy Lerner’s support through various injuries.

Neville Williams

Put it there: Delph and Villa CEO Tom Fox shake on his new contract in January

While low, the clause would still mean Villa doubling their money on the fee they paid Leeds for Delph in August 2009.
And with Lerner set to sell the whole club this summer, Delph will now have no such dilemmas about leaving.
It is another potential hammer-blow for the Villans, who also face losing star striker Christian Benteke to Liverpool as he has a £32.5m buy-out clause.
Delph finished the season in outstanding individual form to help Villa retain top flight status while also reaching the FA Cup final.
But deposed champions City want him to bolster their midfield as boss Manuel Pellegrini rebuilds his squad after a raft of departures.
The Mancunian Blues are also on a well-documented mission to sign more ‘home-grown’ players.
Under Premier League rules, clubs can name no more than 17 foreign players over the age of 21 in their squads.
City’s homegrown ranks have been depleted by the departures this summer of James Milner, Frank Lampard, Dedryck Boyata (who is Belgian but counted as home-grown) and Scott Sinclair leaving.
It has led to Pellegrini targeting Delph, as his hopes of landing Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere are slim.

Manchester United warn Real Madrid they must...

Manchester United warn Real Madrid they must pay record goalkeeper transfer fee for David De Gea

The current world record fee for a goalkeeper stands at £32.6m, but the Red Devils say that the Spanish stopper would cost more than Gianluigi Buffon did in 2001

Saga: Manchester United are digging their heels in over De Gea

Manchester United would only consider allowing David de Gea to leave if Real Madrid offer a world-record fee for a goalkeeper, report the Manchester Evening News
.
MEN Sport understands United remain committed to battling to convince De Gea to stay, despite the 24-year-old's desire to return to Madrid.

The Reds would even prefer the Spaniard remained next se
ason - and risk losing him for nothing when his contract expires in 12 months’ time - than letting De Gea go for a knockdown price.

Gianluigi Buffon's £32.6m move from Parma to Juventus in 2001 remains the highest transfer fee paid for a goalkeeper.

Although the De Gea saga could drag on into United's pre-season, the Cheshire house he has been renting is up for sale.

Liverpool prepare new transfer offer of £25m-plus for one of Aston Villa player

 Liverpool prepare new transfer offer of £25m-plus for Aston Villa's Christian Benteke

Midlands club have already rejected Reds' £22m bid and insist they won't budge unless striker's £32.5m release clause is met but he wants out

Auction stations: Improved Liverpool offer would give Villa a £15m profit on wantaway Benteke

Liverpool will continue to splash the cash, even after stumping up £12.5million to make Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne their sixth signing of the summer.
And the Reds are expected to return to Aston Villa within the next few days with a massive new offer for Christian Benteke.
Boss Brendan Rodgers has had one bid of around £22m rejected by the Midlands club, who insist they will not come to the table concerning the Belgium international until a release clause of £32.5m is triggered.
But Benteke has told his Villa Park bosses he won’t be signing a new contract to stay beyond the 24 months remaining on his current deal.
The centre-forward - who has scored 49 goals in 99 Villa games since his £7m move from Genk in his homeland in 2012 - is currently on holiday, but it is thought he will return next week to reiterate his desire for a move.

Tottenham want Chelsea's Stoke transfer

Tottenham want Chelsea's Stoke transfer target Victor Moses as their hopes on other forwards fade

Jay Rodriguez has signed a new Southampton contract and Anthony Martial is set to do the same at Monaco so Spurs are now looking at the Nigeria international

Star in stripes: Stoke want Moses back - but Spurs can offer European football

Tottenham are trying to sign Chelsea winger Victor Moses.
Nigeria international Moses spent last season on loan at Stoke, where he scored four times in 23 games.
Mark Hughes wants him back at the Britannia next season and the Potters had been ready to request he be included in any deal, should Chelsea target Asmir Begovic to replace their Arsenal-bound keeper Petr Cech.
The 24-year-old, however, is reluctant as Spurs - who can offer Europa League football next season - have come in.
Ex-Crystal Palace trainee Moses, signed by Chelsea from Wigan in 2012 when Roberto Di Matteo was still manager, was sent out on a 12-month loan to Liverpool by Jose Mourinho when he returned to the west Londoners two years ago.
He is now considering his options, with little chance of breaking into Mourinho's first team.