ROBERTO MANCINI has not ruled out the possibility of Daniele De Rossi still signing from Roma, with the Manchester City manager clear that he needs two or three more players if the club are to challenge for the Champions League.

The midfielder has declared he is staying at Roma but Mancini said: “From my experience while the window is still open anything can still happen.”

Mancini, whose side travel to Liverpool tomorrow, admitted that a move for Swansea City’s Scott Sinclair could still be possible, and smiled when asked if Athletic Bilbao’s Javi Martinez may arrive.

He said: “It’s difficult, his cost is too big.”

Of those linked with moves away from the club, Mancini said Nigel De Jong “will stay here”, and added: “Adam Johnson is a City player at the moment. We can’t sell a player if we don’t buy other players, because we won’t have enough players.”

Edin Dzeko is said to interest Juventus but Mancini said: “We have 19 players and two or three players injured. It’s impossible.”

Sergio Aguero, Micah Richards and Gareth Barry are all out.

Mancini is intent that City will add to their summer recruitment, which stands at only Jack Rodwell. Asked how many more players he needs to be competitive for the Premier League and Champions League, Mancini said: “The same we asked for when we won the championship in May. Maybe two or three more.”

In Aguero’s absence Mario Balotelli may make his first start in City’s visit to Liverpool.