Sunday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

More City stars to jump on Ireland's pay-off bandwagon
Manchester City face a multi-million-pound ­time bomb just to get rid of the players Roberto Mancini wants to ditch from ­Eastlands.
Sunday Mirror Sport can reveal that Stephen Ireland’s £2million demand to go to Aston Villa is just the tip of a financial iceberg.
He is asking for the ­kiss-off to make up for the shortfall in wages he will suffer if he joins Villa as a ­makeweight in the £25m deal that will take James Milner to City.
But now Robinho, Craig Bellamy, Jo, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Roque Santa Cruz and Felipe Caicedo are six big-money buys that have also been deemed surplus to requirements by the ­mega-spending Blues.
City are finding it ­impossible to find buyers who are willing to pay the asking price in transfer fees and also match the ­incredible wages that those players bank in Manchester.
City want £25m for Robinho, who cost a British-record £32.5m when he joined from Real Madrid two years ago on a £160,000-a-week contract.
So far, Besiktas and ­Schalke have lodged an ­interest in buying the Brazilian for £20m, but neither club is willing to go close to matching his wages.
The 26-year-old does have the option of going back to Santos on loan – but while the Sao Paulo club will ­honour City’s wages o­bligations, they would only pay a nominal fee to take him back for the season.
City face similar problems with Bellamy with Celtic and ­Tottenham interested in the £95,000-a-week Welshman, but only if they can take the £14m striker on loan.
Liverpool and Arsenal are willing to meet City’s £6m asking price for Wright-Phillips if he takes a hit on his £65,000 a week wages.
It means City must take a huge hit on the £82.7m ­investment they made in transfer fees for those ­players - and subsidise their future earnings with huge pay-offs. Mirror

Manchester City Look to Complete Summer Spending with £25m Bid for French International Yoann Gourcuff
Manchester City are lining up one last big name signing as Roberto Mancini prepares to bid for French international midfielder Yoann Gourcuff. The Eastlands boss is ready to offer up to £25m to seal the deal for the Bordeaux star as they look to take their spending this summer up and over £120m.

After signing David Silva, Mario Balotelli, Jerome Boateng, Yaya Toure and with James Milner set to sign within 48 hours the Italian boss is looking to bring in the talented 24 year old attack minded midfielder who’s career got back on track with a move back to Ligue 1 after a nightmare at the San Siro with AC Milan.
On his return to France on a loan deal he helped Laurent Blanc’s Bordeaux side to their first domestic title since in ten years and then sealed a permanent move the following summer but is now reportedly not happy at the Stade Chaban Delmas after an unsuccessful attempt to retain the title and the departure of Blanc as he took the national team job.
Given the spending power of the Premier League side, any valuation placed on the former Rennes man could be met by the club and it would appear that Gourcuff is willing to try a new challenge and is known to be interested in a move to England.

Brazilian forward Robinho is set to be offered one last chance to prove himself at Manchester City. News of the World

Or, Manchester City are set to sell Robinho to Turkish side Fenerbahce for just under half of the £32.5m they paid Real Madrid for him two summers ago. (Sunday Times)

MANCHESTER City's mega-rich owners will offer Fabio Capello an England escape route if Roberto Mancini does not get off to a Premier League flier.
Mancini starts the season already under massive pressure with the Eastlands club having splashed out £106 million in the summer.
And the Italian knows he needs to have City challenging at the top from the very outset.
If he does not, the Abu Dhabi owners will not hesitate to act and that would open the door for Capello to return to club management.
The England boss is fully aware of City's interest having met the club's hierarchy last season on a social basis.
While there is no suggestion of an approach, they outlined their long-term ambitions for the club and Capello privately conceded he was hugely impressed with the plans.
The FA were also aware of City's intent and it was part of the reason why the 'break' clause in Capello's contract was removed before the World Cup.
City chiefs are now keeping a close eye on Capello's situation with England following the debacle in South Africa.
Capello faces two Euro 2012 qualifiers next month - against Bulgaria at Wembley and Switzerland in Basle - and the clamour for him to leave his job will grow if he does not produce two good results.
Poor results and performances would make Capello's position at the FA virtually untenable.
And should Mancini's side not live up to the high expectations of the Abu Dhabi owners, the City boss would be under enormous pressure.
Capello's club record is outstanding with four titles with four different clubs and a Champions League cron with AC Milan.
He still believes he has one last crack at club management in him before he retires and City would provide the perfect opportunity.
The 64-year-old has a host of admirers on the City board and they would easily match his £6m-a-year wage packet and could also meet the FA's compensation demands.

TRANSFER BOLLOX
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is preparing a £10m raid on his old club Chelsea for striker Didier Drogba. Sunday People

Manchester United will move for Porto midfielder Raul Meireles if they fail to land Werder Bremen's Mesut Ozil. Sunday Mirror

Marseille are considering an offer for Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov and are also keen on Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko. imscouting

United are battling it out with Arsenal to sign Paris St Germain's 20-year-old French defender Mamadou Sakho, who is valued at £12m. caughtoffside

Barcelona have moved ahead of Inter Milan in the race to sign Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano by offering £15m plus winger Alexander Hleb. Sunday People

Or, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has reportedly ruled out the signing of Argentinean Mascherano. imscouting.com

Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner could be about to sanction a £20m move for Tottenham's midfielder David Bentley and striker Robbie Keane. caughtoffside

West Ham striker Carlton Cole is a target for new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson. Mail on Sunday

Liverpool are also keen on Cole's Hammers team-mate, utility player Valon Behrami as well as Tottenham striker Giovani dos Santos. caughtoffside

Brazil legend Pele has urged teenage striker Neymar to stay with Santos and reject a move to Premier League leaders Chelsea. Mail on Sunday

Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer is on the verge of completing his 'dream' move to Arsenal. News of the World

Tottenham have placed a 'staggering' £10m price tag on midfielder Jermaine Jenas as Spurs look to fund a move for Hammers star Scott Parker. News of the World

Spurs could increase their initial £7m offer for Parker to £12m with boss Harry Redknapp keen to land the 29-year-old. Sunday Mirror

Tottenham are set to launch a £10.6m bid for Nice striker Loic Remy on Monday. imscouting

Sunderland are considering a move for Fulham striker Bobby Zamora with boss Steve Bruce also keen on Tottenham's Peter Crouch and Manchester City's Craig Bellamy. News of the World

Bruce is also keen on Wigan winger Charles N'Zogbia who recently demanded a transfer and stormed out of a training session. News of the World

Sunderland could pay up to £10m for Frenchman N'Zogbia. Sunday People

Arsenal are weighing up a £9m move for Blackburn Rovers teenage centre back Phil Jones. caughtoffside

Midfielder Jimmy Bullard says he wants to stay at Hull despite the club wanting to send him out on loan. Sunday Mirror

Bolton and Middlesbrough are locked in a £2m battle to sign Sunderland centre-back Matt Killgallon. Sunday Mirror

Fulham boss Mark Hughes wants to hijack Birmingham City's move for Olympiakos striker Matt Derbyshire. Sunday People

Hughes is also close to sealing the signing of former Chelsea and Barcelona star Eidur Gudjohnsen. Sunday People

Blackpool are keen to sign veteran Birmingham striker Marcus Bent on loan. Sunday People

OTHER BOLLOX
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher says that Fabio Capello's eventual replacement as England manager should be English. Mail on Sunday

And Capello's future as England manager is in doubt following his clumsy ending of midfielder David Beckham's international career with the Football Association said to be furious at the way the Italian announced the decision in a TV interview. News of the World

Capello may scrap plans to recruit another English coach to his backroom staff - because nobody wants the job. Sunday People

Meanwhile, Everton defender Phil Jagielka will never rule himself out of England contention because it would upset his parents.Sunday Mirror

Aston Villa want Ajax boss Martin Jol as a possible replacement for Martin O'Neill. Mail on Sunday

But Jol will deal Villa a blow by ruling himself out of the running to replace recently departed manager O'Neill. Sunday Express

Veteran 39-year-old goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar says it is time for the new generation of Manchester United players to step up to the plate as the club chase their 19th league title. Daily Mail

Former World and European player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo has just gained his 10 millionth fan on social networking site Facebook. But the Real Madrid star still lags well behind American pop star Lady Gaga who has 15 million. (Mail on Sunday)

From one social networking site to another. Barcelona's current World and European player of the year Lionel Messi is fan of Aston Villa winger Ashley Young. The Barcelona forward called Young's performance against West Ham on Saturday "a blinder" on his official Twitter page. Sunday People

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has admitted that he regrets his decision not to come out of international retirement and play for England at this summer's World Cup. Sunday Express

[BlueMoonAwoken]

I dont want cappello.

[Ted Hughes]

I dont want cappello.

Nor me but we're going to be linked with these people. As Cook has admitted that they talk to other managers as a matter of course, some of it will get out.

[Dameerto]

The Cappello link is almost as believable as us being linked with a move for David Beckham. I've heard it all now - we're to blame for the FA being unable to sack him after South Africa too.

[Crossie]

Next manager needs to be someone who know's what their doing, and has done it time and time again.

No more fucking rushed bollocks appointments.

[Beefymcfc]

Next manager needs to be someone who know's what their doing, and has done it time and time again.

No more fucking rushed bollocks appointments.

Fuck me Crossie, have you given up on Mancini already?

[MARKMAKAVELI]

U heard about maradona bein linked with villa job?! I'd be amazed if that happened. Can't see it at all.