Eriksson is keen to bring a left-back into his squad ahead of the new season, and has been linked with Juventus' Georgio Chiellini in recent weeks.

However, reports at the weekend claimed that City have been priced out of a move for the Italian, who could cost anything up to £12 million.

And now the Manchester Evening News reports that Eriksson could make a bid for Silvestre if the Chiellini bid fails.

The City boss is also interested in Wigan full-back Leighton Baines, who is being chased by a number of clubs, including United themselves, if Gabriel Heinze's controversial transfer to Liverpool goes through.

Eriksson still has more than half of his reported summer budget of £50 million to spend, and has been linked with a number of players as his overhaul of the City squad continues.

He is close to completing a £10 million move for Olympiacos' Mexican striker Nery Castillo, while reports on Monday suggested that Brazilian Elano is on the verge of signing on at Eastlands.

The capture of Silvestre would represent a major coup for the former England boss, but if Heinze does move to Anfield then Alex Ferguson is unlikely to sell Silvestre.

The Frenchman is close friends with City midfielder Ousmane Dabo, and reportedly turned down a move to Newcastle last week on the basis that he would not play with Joey Barton, who famously attacked Dabo at City's training ground last season.

However, he has found himself some way down the defensive pecking order at Old Trafford, with Heinze and Patrice Evra favoured at left-back, while Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown are all ahead of him at centre-half.

Baines could be trickier to persuade however, as he is thought to favour a move to Everton, after turning down Sunderland last week.

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