Beyond Lescott

Reports today from Chris Wheeler that City will - in tune with voting fans on our latest poll - go no further than £20m in our increasingly tiresome pursuit of Joleon Lescott:

Even if Lescott demands a move it is believed Moyes will refuse to sell. City, who have set a £20million ceiling for the player, have had two bids rejected and will switch to other targets, with Newcastle's Sebastien Bassong top of their list.

Chelsea's Alex is another option, while re-signing Sylvain Distin from Portsmouth cannot be ruled out.

This fascinating prospect is further fleshed out by Stuart Brennan in the M.E.N.:

The Blues have drawn up a short-list of alternative options as they wait to see whether Lescott forces the issue by putting in a transfer request - and Portsmouth's Distin is on it.

The Blues have already weighed up moves for Newcastle's Sebastien Bassong and Chelsea stopper Alex, after Everton firmly rejected a second £19m bid for Lescott.

But M.E.N. Sport understands that the name of 31-year-old Distin, who spent five seasons at City and was the club's player of the year in 2003, has now been added.

This is a compelling possibility, about which I will blog more later.