Soccer Globe

MANCHESTER CITY and Real Madrid are locked in a battle for the signature of £16million-rated Real Zaragoza star Ricardo Oliveira.

With Ruud van Nistelrooy out for the the season with a cruciate knee injury, Real are desperate to fill the gap.

But according to sources in Spain City are preparing for a January swoop for the 28-year-old Brazilian.

And Zaragoza favour sanctioning a move to England, as they feel they can squeeze the most money out of City’s new multi-billionaire owners.