Inter Milan head coach Roberto Mancini has been forced to ditch plans to raid former club Manchester City for defender Aleksandar Kolarov, according to reports in Italy.
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Gazzetta TV claims the left-back had been a target for Mancini, who led the Blues to the Premier League title and two FA Cup finals, one of which ended in victory, during his three-and-a-half-year tenure.
However, the cost of the financial package it would take to lure the former Lazio man back for another stint in Serie A is said to be beyond Inter, and the board of directors are already working on alternatives.
Alex Telles, currently on the books at another of Mancini’s old sides, Galatasaray, is a target, while Monaco’s Layvin Kurzawa is another possibility, although competition for the young Frenchman is expected to be fierce when the summer transfer window opens.
Kolarov was one of Mancini’s first signings when he arrived from Lazio in the summer of 2010 for £19m. He has failed to secure a regular first-team spot under current Blues manager Manuel Pellegrini this term, and could opt to seek a fresh challenge in the coming months.