Media round-up: Friday, 11th November

The Daily Star claim that Nigel de Jong is on a collision course with Roberto Mancini following his axing at QPR last week. According to the paper De Jong watched the game from the stands "with a face like thunder" and is planning showdown talks with Mancini when the squad reconvene after the international break.

The Daily Mail report that City are preparing a bid for Robin van Persie, after Arsenal admitted they won't discuss a with their captain until near the end of the season. The Gunners want the 28-year-old to commit to a new long-term deal, with his current agreement due to expire in June 2013, but the player does not want to discuss the matter until the summer.

Joe Hart has lauded colleagues David Silva and Gareth Barry ahead of England's friendly international against Spain tomorrow. Hart said: "David is a big part of our team on and off the field. We get on really well with him and he is a fantastic player. He has been sensational." When asked if Barry would be an ideal captain, Hart said: "Gareth's the man, simple as that; someone I look up to. If you spoke to anyone who knew the guy, they would say the same.He does as you should and leads by example, no messing around; a very good performer every week, who never moans."

Vincent Kompany has warned his team mates that they hit a bad patch at some point, as the Blues enter the toughest period of their season. "We will hit a bad patch, like with every team," Kompany told Match of the Day magazine. "But you don't necessarily have to lose just because you're playing badly. Let's just keep playing well for as long as possible. We've got many players here who have won titles at different levels, so that's not a problem. The club hasn't won the title for a long time but we showed in the FA Cup final that we won't let that affect us."

City are reported to have made an enquiry about the availability of Athletic Bilbao’s 23-year-old international midfielder Javi Martinez, according to the Manchester Evening News. A sticking point could be the fee as the Spanish international has a price tag of £34million, which the Blues would not be prepared to pay.