Welsh rivals in tussle to sign Espanyol centre-back.
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Premier League new boys Cardiff City could rival neighbours Swansea for Espanyol’s Mexican defender Hector Moreno according to the Daily Mail.
Swansea were thought to be interested in the 25-year-old as a possible replacement for Ashley Williams at the Liberty Stadium who could make the move to the Emirates Stadium with Arsene Wenger seeking his service for Arsenal.
However now the wheels are in motion at the other end of the M4 with the Bluebirds understood to have made an initial offer of around £4million as look to defeat their closest adversaries to the player who has featured 45 times for his country, featuring at the 2010 World Cup.
Malky Mackay’s side have already recruited goalkeeper Simon Moore from Brentford and are chasing Atletico Madrid midfielder Etienne Capoue and Lyon’s Bakari Kone as they look to survive in the English top flight during the upcoming campaign.
Moreno, who is a stylish ball-playing centre-back, has won many admirers playing in La Liga after originally impressing in Holland claiming a league title with AZ Alkmaar and he collected the Parakeets player of the year award after joining the Barcelona-based team in 2011.
The Estadi Cornellà-El Prat outfit could now sell their star defender, who made 33 appearances last term, if they are offered their valuation for the player, thought to be around £8m, with manager Javier Aguirre’s side suffering a financial crisis ahead of the new season.
If the Premier League newcomers can bring the classy defender to the City of Cardiff Stadium it will be an early victory for the Bluebirds over their Welsh rivals who have lined up Moreno as a contingency option if Williams departs this summer.