Manchester City are eyeing Real Zaragoza striker Diego Milito.

The Times says while Rolando Bianchi joined Lazio on loan only six months after signing for City, Sven Goran Eriksson is thought to be ready to test the resolve of Real Zaragoza to keep Diego Milito, their highly rated Argentina striker, before the transfer window closes a week today.

Eriksson has identified Milito as one of his leading targets, but although there remains a chance of the City manager lodging a formal bid for the player in the coming days, Zaragoza's reluctance to lose their captain and talisman in mid-season is likely to dictate that the Barclays Premier League club wait until the summer before making a move.

Contact has been made between representatives of the clubs and Zaragoza are thought to have indicated a willingness to allow Milito to leave once the Spanish season has finished in May, albeit for the right price. That is likely to represent a stumbling block, with Zaragoza valuing Milito at about £18 million, while the fact that the Spanish club have just appointed Javier Irureta as coach, after Ander Garitano resigned on Tuesday citing personal reasons, could also prove to be a complicating factor.