If Roberto Mancini's shopping list really did accomodate all the candidates cited in the papers this summer, City's boss would be able to stage his own World Cup.

The time is drawing closer when Roberto's signings will be unveiled, but in the meantime  the Mail is pencilling Lazio left-back Aleksandar Kolarov into the equation.

Their Screamer column asserts that City "are pressing ahead" after Kolarov's move to Real Madrid stalled, the Serb having been expected to join Jose Mourinho's outfit.

However, Real's offer for the player is apparently well below Lazio's valuation.

Simon Jones writes that "City, as ever, are wary of being used to hike the price" but adds that the Blues' offer is higher than Real's and Kolarov "Has told team-mates he is interested in City if his dream move to Madrid cannot be salvaged".

The Mailman adds that "deals for Yaya Toure and David Silva are expected to be ratified this week and James Milner to follow. Mancini has also not given up on Edin Dzeko."

That should keep everybody busy for a while then ...

Meanwhile, there's fresh speculation in most of the morning papers that Robinho's quality performances with Brazil in South Africa will tempt top clubs to bid for him.

Speaking of the World Cup, painful as that may be at the moment, the Guardian's Kevin McCarra is thinking ahead to 2014 and has Adam Johnson down for an England place.

He insists: "There has to be a future for Johnson, an intriguing wide midfielder who progressed so speedily after the transfer from Middlesbrough in January that he nearly made it to the World Cup."

In hindsight, missing out this time might not have been such a bad thing, AJ ...