City leading chase for Barça's Touré

Barcelona's president Joan Laporta admitted yesterday that talks on the sale of the Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Touré are at an advanced stage. Manchester City lead the chase to sign the 27-year-old, for a fee of £25m, which would see him playing alongside his older brother Kolo at Eastlands.

Laporta will be replaced as club president by Sandro Rosell in July but is to brief him on buying Cesc Fabregas. "I'll talk to him president to president. Selling Touré is very advanced and I will also inform him of how the negotiations are for Cesc Fabregas. The player wants to come. Negotiations are now on standby. Arsenal want to sell for a top price. It's understandable." Arsenal rejected Barça's £29m bid for their captain two weeks ago.

* Serbian winger Zoran Tosic has left Manchester United for CSKA Moscow for an undisclosed fee.