Striker Villa will snub Man City move - agent

Manchester City look set to be thwarted in their bid to sign one of the world's top players yet again with David Villa's agent claiming the forward would turn down a move to Premier League.

Prized asset David Villa is sure to leave this summer as a result of Valencia's finances

The Spanish club face an uncertain financial situation with debts in the region of 450m euros and star players such as Villa and David Silva seem sure to be sold when the transfer window reopens in the summer.

Valencia confirmed on Thursday that they had held initial talks with City over the transfer. However, it now appears the striker, one of the top performers at Euro 2008 with Spain, does not want to leave his homeland.

"He'll not leave Spain, he's very clear about that," newspaper El Mundo Deportivo quoted Villa's agent Jose Luis Tamargo as saying on its website.

The 27-year-old may find his options limited, however. With Valencia in desperate need of funds they will be looking for a good price, even though they may not get his market worth considering their position.

Villa is thought to have a 140m euro release clause in his contract, but City are understood to have been working on a 60m euro bid.

If neither Real Madrid nor Barcelona are able, or prepared, to meet the asking price then Villa could have little choice but to sign for Manchester City.

After missing out on Kaka in January it would come as a further blow to City's ambitious and cash-rich owners considering that Valencia, unlike AC Milan, have to sell.

Villa signed a six-year contract last August, but it now seems inevitable that he will leave Valencia in the close season.

City would be prepared to pay a hefty salary to lure him to Eastlands, but Tamargo insists no amount of money would tempt Villa away from Spain.

He added: "I don't know what type of contact there has been between them, if there has been, nor any agreements that could be made, but his future will not be outside the country.

"It's not a question of money.''

Silva is being linked to Juventus and the Spain midfielder admits he is a big admirer of the Bianconeri.

"Why not?'' he told Gazzetta dello Sport when asked if he could win the Champions League with Juve next season. "Juve have so many great players. They can aim high.

"There are two Italian footballers I admire: (Alessandro) Del Piero and (Andrea) Pirlo. And Del Piero is the Juve captain.

"Juve are a great club. They have international prestige. I saw that they were knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea. But they went out with their heads held high.

"The Champions League is also my dream. There is something magical about lifting that cup.

"Spanish newspapers are saying that Juventus want to buy me. They've been going on about this story for days.''

Reports suggest Juventus see Silva, who signed a seven-year contract at Valencia last June, as an ideal replacement for Pavel Nedved who is set to retire at the end of the season.

However, the 23-year-old insists he is nowhere near that level yet.

Silva said: "Why does he want to retire? For how he fights on the pitch, Nedved still seems very young.

"He has been one of the great players of European football. I am only Silva. No comparisons.''