Manchester City reject Elano will partner Kaka in Brazil's World Cup midfield.

Coach Dunga played his projected starters against the reserves for the first time in training in Johannesburg yesterday – and Elano was handed in a central midfield role ­alongside the Real Madrid superstar.

Elano, Ramires, Kleberson and Julio Baptista were vying for a place as the team’s first offensive midfielder, and Dunga had been rotating them recently.

Playmaker Elano, 28, signed by Sven Goran Eriksson during his spell in charge of City in 2007, left ­Eastlands for Turkish giants Galatasaray in a £7million move last July.