Sources close to Barry have indicated that Hughes was ‘almost certain’ to sign Tevez, even though the official stance from City was merely that they remained confident.Diego Forlán, David Villa and Joleon Lescott are also mentioned.
Tevez’s representative Kia Joorabchian is due for a final round of talks with United chief executive David Gill on Wednesday morning as the Premier League champions try to persuade the Argentine to make his two-year loan residency permanent.
It is understood that Tevez himself is very attracted to the prospect of a move to City. He is keen on the opportunity for a central role again rather than being the peripheral figure he has sometimes been at United.
UPDATE: James Ducker reports on those moves:
United have so far balked at meeting the £25.5 million fee [for Tévez] agreed with Joorabchian two years ago and, barring a surprise about-turn from the Premier League champions, City are likely to beat Liverpool to the player’s signature in a deal that would cost almost £54 million over four years.
Hughes is expected to make an opening bid of about £12 million for Lescott, but David Moyes, the Everton manager, is fiercely opposed to selling the England defender and is unlikely to consider accepting a bid of anything less than £20 million.
