Marseille

Manchester City Offered €15 Million For Taye Taiwo - Reports

Reports from France suggest that Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge may have been Manchester City’s second choice player for that berth as they placed a huge €15 million bid for Olympique de Marseille full-back Taye Taiwo.

8 Jan 2009 22:51:45

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Taye Taiwo - Olympique Marseille

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Fantastically rich Manchester City may have paid an estimated €11 million for Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge, however, reports in France suggest that the Citizens placed an even greater bid for dynamic Olympique de Marseille full-back Taye Taiwo, who has been mightily impressive for les Phocéens this season.

A generally well respected source of information, l’Equipe goes on to suggest that City have placed a further bid for the player, hypothesising that Taiwo’s versatility could allow both he and Bridge to play in the same side.

Furthermore, it is suggested that, on a purely hypothetical basis, Marseille could use the deal to seal a transfer of a much-wanted striker as the club have been tracking Benjani since his time with AJ Auxerre. There would also be the possibility of signing Jô, who has widely been regarded as a flop in his first few months as Eastlands.

Taiwo, who is likely to move on in the summer at the latest, will certainly command a substantial transfer fee and represents an astute piece of business by the Provence club. The 23 year-old Nigerian was signed from Lobi Stars for just €180,000 in summer 2004.

Robin Bairner, Goal.com