Mancini: I didn't tout Balotelli or Tevez

MANCHESTER City boss Roberto Mancini has dismissed rumours he is in talks with AC Milan over strikers Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez.

Mancini met with Milan vice president Adriano Galliani at the Italian club's headquarters on Monday, but the former Inter Milan coach said it was simply a courtesy visit.

Mancini told Italian media that Galliani had asked to see him and added: "It lasted 10 minutes and I certainly didn't make an offer for Thiago Silva.

"Even less did I offer Balotelli or Tevez to Milan."

Milan have long been linked with Tevez and a deal for the Argentine fell through in the winter transfer market during the controversial striker's long-running feud with City.

Balotelli played for AC Milan's bitter rivals Inter for three years before moving to the northwest of England.

Meanwhile, Owen Hargreaves has been released by Manchester City after his short-term deal expired.

The former England international, who has been plagued by injuries in recent years, joined Roberto Mancini's side last August after leaving city rivals United.

However, he played just four times - but only once in the Premier League with a 13-minute appearance in October - and scored a solitary goal in a Carling Cup victory over Birmingham.

Convince

The 31-year-old's last outing came in the 3-2 FA Cup third-round defeat by United on January 8 when he played the final eight minutes.

Hargreaves spent most of last summer trying to convince prospective clubs he was fully fit after having operations on both knees in 2008 and 2009 during his injury-hit spell at Manchester United, and he even resorted to posting videos on YouTube showing him training.

Mancini offered the former Bayern Munich star a chance after the player resisted interest from West Brom, but he was not included in the club's Champions League squad and started only two games, both in the Carling Cup, in his four appearances.