Next target: Kolo Touré

With the news that John Terry will not be joining, attention now shifts to Hughes' next defensive targets - Joleon Lescott and Kolo Touré. And Monday's papers are full of reports that a move for the Arsenal man is close. Ian Herbert, who had been with City in South Africa, wrote this:

The decision [of John Terry to stay at Chelsea] still leaves City pursuing two new central defenders. Cook was in three hours of talks with Arsenal which led to the purchase of Emmanuel Adebayor and the Gunners' manager, Arsène Wenger, is well aware of City's interests and has not disabused them of the idea that they might be in business. Touré indicated some interest in joining City in January but cooled on the idea after reflection. The presence at Eastlands of his friend and former team-mate Adebayor might help. A City bid is likely to be in the region of £12m.

There are still serious hopes at City that Joleon Lescott will also push Everton for permission to seek discussions with the club, who would be prepared to up their initial £15m bid to nearer £20m. It was always their aim to sign two out of the triumvirate of Terry, Lescott and Touré, with West Ham's Matthew Upson lower down their priority list.

And Chris Wheeler, also in South Africa, wrote that City were 'in talks with Arsenal' over a £15m deal for Touré. Matt Hughes writes (from Dallas) that we will offer £14m for Kolo. But it does seem like we have a final answer to the 'one or two centre halves' question that we have thought about all summer. Which is bad news for all you Nedum Onuoha fans out there.