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City linked with Falcao swoop

Radamel Falcao has scored eight in six league games this season © Getty Images

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Manchester City have been linked with Radamel Falcao and Isco following manager Roberto Mancini's attendance at Sunday's La Liga fixture between Atletico Madrid and Malaga.

Falcao, 26, who took his league tally for the season to eight in six games after scoring the opener in his side's 2-1 victory, continues to be linked with a €45 million move away from the Calderon.

And according to reports in Madrid daily AS, City have now joined Chelsea and Real Madrid among the interested parties in the Colombia international.

Meanwhile, Andalucian paper El Desmarque de Malaga suggested on Monday that the Premier League title holders were more likely to be pursuing Isco, 20, who has sparkled in his club's two Champions League games this season and has a €21 million release clause.

Mancini claimed after the game that he was in Spain to check on the performance of on-loan City striker Roque Santa Cruz - who headed Malaga's goal on his first start for the club since his arrival - but was also complimentary about Isco.

"I am here to see Santa Cruz. They are two squads with great players - it is a very interesting game," Mancini said. "[Isco] is a good player and young."

Atletico president Enrique Cerezo, who has admitted that Falcao could be sold if his side do not secure Champions League football next season, said he was "relaxed" about Mancini's presence and joked that the Italian was more likely to be looking to buy a house.

However, the striker hinted at a future move to City or Chelsea over the weekend, stating his long-term affection for the Premier League. "England? One day, I could go. It is a game I have watched for a long time and one day I would like to sample it," Falcao told the Times.

"I used to watch it on television when I was a kid. Players like Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, [Gianfranco] Zola. But the one I supported was [Faustino] Asprilla, when he was at Newcastle."

Malaga, who sold star players including Santi Cazorla to Arsenal last summer to raise money to pay debts, have previously said Isco was not for sale.

"Coaches have to watch many games and many players, and both teams have interesting players," Malaga executive Antonio Benitez said.

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