David Silva; City in, Chelsea poised, Manchester United on standby

Transfer merry-go-round now beginning to step up a gear, and at the top of all the speculation at present is David Silva, the fleet footed winger from Valencia....or 'the canary' if you go in for that side of things.  One thing seems sure though, and that's a move to England.

Silva has long been courted by a number of sides, with both Manchester clubs registering an interest.  Indeed City looked to have stolen a march on their rivals with Valencia confirming that they have given the Spanish international permission to speak with the Eastlands outfit, without a final fee being agreed, despite reports to the contrary.

Silva;"Tweet"

City obviously have the financial muscle to satisfy both Silva and his agent, and keep some of Valencia's long list of creditors at bay, however without Champions League football being secured for this season at least, it's likely that Silva will bide his time.  Chelsea are also ready to put some numbers on the table for a player that Carlo Ancelotti views as pivotal to his future plans.

Throughout all this, Manchester United have remained lurking in the shadows, but Silva is a player that has long been targeted by Sir Alex Ferguson.  Whether United actually have the financial muscle to compete on this one - reports suggest a fee in the region of £30m - is by no means a given though.