Villa And City Look To Madrid's Baptista

English tabloid The News of the World reports that Real Madrid's renaissance man Julio Baptista could be on his way back to the Premiership.

The powerful Brazilian spent last season on loan at Arsenal, but was unable to secure a move away from the Bernabeu during the summer transfer window.

Since then, though, he has been a revelation in La Liga, earning an extended run in the blancos' first XI and even scoring the winner in the Clasico match against Barcelona.

Nonetheless, the News of the World contends that both big-spending City and resurgent Villa are quietly confident of being able to coax the 26-year-old back to England.

Real Madrid coax Bernd Schuster, though, seems to have placed his trust in the Brazilian international, while Baptista himself said as recently as last week that he has yet to show his best in the white jersey, and that he feels appreciated in Madrid.