LONDON: Manchester City are set to make a £12million swoop for Arsenal winger Theo Walcott (pic), The Sun reported.

City manager Roberto Mancini has targeted the England flier after Swansea blocked his bid for Scott Sinclair.

Walcott, 23, is in the final year of his contract and has been linked with a move to Liverpool.

But Mancini is desperate to sign a wnger before the transfer window shuts on Friday after losing Adam Johnson to Sunderland last week.

The Premier League champions are hoping they can turn the screw on Arsenal over Walcott — like Manchester United did with £22m Robin van Persie.

Walcott, who has scored 26 goals in 151 League appearances for Arsenal,  was dropped to the bench for Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Stoke.

He was signed for £5m from Southampton in 2006.

City finally ran out of patience with Swansea yesterday after the Welsh club rejected a £6.2m offer for Sinclair.

Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said: “It has been dragging on a while and I’d have thought if they really wanted to sign Scott they would have dealt with it a bit better than they have - but that’s their business.”

- mD