Goal.com

The Premier League champions are seven points adrift of Manchester United at the top of the table but the Italian will not get a blank chequebook to ease his side's troubles

EXCLUSIVE
By Greg Stobart

Manchester City have indicated to under-pressure manager Roberto Mancini that he will not be provided with unlimited funds to spend in the January transfer window

It has been a tough campaign for the Italian so far, with his side crashing out of the Champions League at the group stages and sitting seven points behind Manchester United in their attempts to defend the Premier League crown won last season.

Despite this, though, club bosses are planning to run a relatively tight ship in the transfer market over the next month and have told Mancini he will largely have to manage with the playing resources he already has at his disposal.

City have been linked to multiple players from around Europe but the plans inside the club are for a transfer window without any significant expenditure.

Recent results – a run of just three wins from nine matches in all competitions - have put the manager under increasing pressure within the club, which they are unwilling to solve by providing him with a blank chequebook.

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Communication with Mancini has all come through director of football Txiki Begiristain, although chief executive Ferran Soriano will also have had a heavy say in the plans.

One player City could still move for in the January market is Malaga playmaker Isco, who Goal.com exclusively revealed is at the top of Mancini's wishlist this January.

The 20-year-old playmaker has a release clause of around £17.5 million, which the club see as a good bargain for a player they see as capable of making it to the very top of European football.

Therefore, despite not planning on spending heavily, they will closely monitor Isco's situation and be prepared to intervene and sanction a move if they feel there is a risk on missing out on his signature to another club or if Malaga appear close to extending his contract and subsequently increasing the buyout clause.

Other than that, Mancini has been advised to focus on improving the club’s fortunes by working with the players already at the Etihad Stadium -having already been backed with significant funds previously - as he fights to get the campaign back on track.

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