Arsenal braced for £30m transfer raid by Manchester City

Manchester City are set to ignore Arsene Wenger’s warning and launch a £30million bid for Jack Wilshere.

Arsenal boss Wenger issued a ‘hands-off’ blast after it emerged last month that Wilshere was on outgoing champions City’s summer wish-list.

But Wenger’s stance hasn’t put off the Etihad club's top brass, who are plotting a huge squad overhaul following a poor season with recruiting homegrown talent a top priority.

And City - who saw another midfield target, Jordan Henderson, sign a new Liverpool deal last week - are pressing ahead with their attempts to pull off another audacious raid on Arsenal by lining up the huge bid for Wilshere.

City’s refusal to give up on England midfielder Wilshere is set to put him at the centre of a summer tug-of-war and leave him with a dilemma.

The 23-year-old still has three years left to run on his Arsenal contract. But the Gunners are expected to bring forward talks over a new deal to this summer in a bid to extend his commitment to them and fend off City.

However Wilshere, recently back in Wenger's squad after an ankle injury, knows his place in the side is not as secure as it once was.

City have spent more than £70m in the last five years tempting Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and Bacary Sagna north from Arsenal.

But Wenger is determined to bring an end to the Blues' habit of poaching of his stars.

When asked about their interest in Wilshere earlier this month, he said: “You can imagine my answer.

"We are not in a position where we have to sell our best players.”