Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed he is ready to bid for Fernando Torres if the Liverpool striker shows interest in moving to Eastlands.

Mancini was given hope that he may be able to sign Torres when new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson revealed the Spain star has a “beef” with the club in the aftermath of a woeful campaign last season.

“Torres is one of the best strikers in Europe and has been playing in the Premier League for three years and knows it very well,” Mancini said. “But it depends on his situation – his price and whether he wants to come.

“First there is the price and then it depends if the players want to change team. Until today, Liverpool haven’t bought many players.”

While the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal have spent little in the transfer market during the close-season, Mancini has already signed Jerome Boateng, Aleksandar Kolarov, Yaya Toure and David Silva.

The former Inter boss, who took charge of the club in December, believes City’s financial muscle has the rest of the Premier League running scared and he won’t rule out a challenge for the title this season.

“Are they scared? I think so. At the moment only Man. City are buying players,” Mancini said. “I think all these teams over the years have spent a lot of money – Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool but now City do.

“We have a big opportunity to win the league if we believe in ourselves and do our jobs. We have improved as a team.”

Balotelli saga

Meanwhile, Mario Balotelli’s agent yesterday denied that his client has signed a deal with Manchester City.

Earlier, reports in the Italian press claimed the 19-year-old Inter striker had already agreed a contract with the English Premier League side and that all that was missing was an agreement between the two clubs.

But his agent Mino Raiola told Ansa news agency: “Nothing has been signed between Balotelli and Manchester City and I doubt anything will be in the next few days.”