Arsenal target Eden Hazard's price tag hits €50m

HAVE Lille priced themselves out of the market as far as Eden Hazard is concerned? According to Talksport, the French club have announced that they are prepared to sell the brilliant Belgian playmaker for a whopping €50m. That will almost certainly rule out Arsenal, long-time admirers of the 20-year-old, but in the current economic climate it might also sound the death knell for the ambitions of Manchester United and Barcelona, both of whom have also been keeping tabs on him.

Hazard helped Lille to a French league and cup double last year and this season has been as impressive as ever, forming an effective partnership with ex-England midfielder Joe Cole.  Having refused to part with Hazard in the past, Lille president Michel Seydoux has admitted the club has revised its position in recent weeks. "The price is €50m and this is clear in advance," Seydoux explained. "Nobody is unsellable. You would be able to look for solutions in the market with the money we'd receive."

From a Belgian to a Brazilian and, according to Italian source Sportmediaset, Arsenal are also one of a number of clubs sniffing around AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato. The 22-year-old South American has allegedly fallen out of favour with Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri, who told Sportmediaset: "One has to understand that he has room for improvement. We need a different mindset and the only way to improve is to question yourself."

Arsenal apparently made an enquiry last month to AC Milan about Pato’s availability, while Chelsea and Manchester City are also linked to the Brazilian. Sportmediaset says that Milan would like to offload Pato to the Sky Blues in exchange for Mario Balotelli. But with Balotelli settled in Manchester and enjoying a rich run of form that seems unlikely.

Meanwhile Manchester City still don’t know where they stand in their attempts to prise Daniele De Rossi from Roma. The 28-year-old midfielder has been mooted as a City target when his contract expires in May, but Roma president Thomas Di Benedetto expressed his belief last week that the Italian international will sign on for another term.

However, in an interview with Italian broadcaster Radio 2 Rai, De Rossi himself refused to be drawn on his future, saying rather ambiguously: "Do I need to reassure fans over my future? Well, the heart is there for it to beat fast." As perplexing as one of Roberto Mancini’s team selections.

Tottenham’s hopes of landing Internacional's Leandro Damiao have been given a boost with the news that Shakhtar Donetsk are not interested in his services. The Ukrainian side were believed to be Spurs’ biggest rivals in the race to sign the 22-year-old Brazilian, but their head coach has rubbished that idea in an interview with Globoesporte. "There is so much speculation about our interest in Damiao, but it's simply not true. We are not interested in signing him," said Mircea Lucescu." ·