Fulham boss Mark Hughes set to raid former club Manchester City for Santa Cruz and Given
Fulham have revived their interest in Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz and his teammate, goalkeeper Shay Given.
Paraguay striker Santa Cruz held talks with Italian club Lazio this week and was considering a move to Rome but his former manager Mark Hughes has stepped in and hopes to conclude a loan with a view to a permanent deal for the 28-year-old.
The Fulham boss is also keen to land keeper Given, who was left out of City’s line-up once again last night — and that could finally trigger Mark Schwarzer’s departure from Craven Cottage.
Roberto Mancini defends Manchester City spending policy
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has defended the club's transfer policy after spending around £125m on players over the course of the summer.
There has also been criticism of City's wage levels with Yaya Toure believed to be earning more than £200,000 a week.
Mancini told BBC Sport: "[Manchester United boss] Sir Alex [Ferguson] has spent a lot of money in the past.
"Not this year, but in the past I think United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool were like us this year."
City's football administrator Brian Marwood, speaking on a special programme on the men from Eastlands on BBC Radio 5 live before their Europa League tie on Thursday, echoed Mancini's comments, adding: "No-one condemned Manchester United or Chelsea for the money they've spent, because they bought quality."
Since Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan bought City in September 2008, the club has spent more than £300m on a host of new players.
This summer alone, Mancini has signed James Milner (£26m), Aleksandar Kolarov (£16m), David Silva (£24m), Jerome Boateng (£10m), Mario Balotelli (£24m) and Yaya Toure (£24m).
The City manager, who was also interviewed for BBC Radio 5 live special, added: "This year we bought good young players.
"Only Yaya is 28, the other players are aged 24 or 23 and a good investment for the club."
Not all of Sheikh Mansour's millions are being ploughed into the first team though.
Marwood explained: "We are fortunate to have owners who are prepared to invest in the whole of the club and it's not just for now, it's for the future.
"There has been a good conveyor belt of players coming through the academy over the years and we are proud of what we've done since it was started.
"We want to maintain our heritage in terms of the academy and producing good young footballers."
Earlier in August Ferguson, without identifying any one club, accused some of Manchester United's rivals of going on a "kamikaze" spending spree.
Without mentioning Ferguson, Marwood added: "A lot of people are misinformed, they form opinions without knowing the true facts.
"It's become laughable, some of the comments about our football club. We are comfortable in terms of what we set out to do and the direction we are heading.
"We've seen [at other clubs] a lot of people come and very quickly go and leave a trail of destruction.
"Sheikh Mansour, [chairman Khaldoon] Al Mubarrak and those involved want to be in it for the long haul. They want to put a structure in place they can enjoy for a number of years."
Marwood also confirmed that Shay Given would be staying at Eastlands.
The Republic of Ireland international, who was widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League last season, has been kept out of the side by Joe Hart so far this season.
Marwood said: "He's going to fight for his place. It's a bit strange for him because he's been number one for a long time.
"But the club is trying to build a squad that is capable of challenging for every competition we play in this year.
"Last year we got cruelly exposed because we had two goalkeepers out injured and we had to go and find a keeper to play in our last three games when we fighting for a Champions League place."
City hold the current British transfer fee record, having spent £32.5m on bringing in Robinho from Real Madrid in 2008 - although the Brazilian is looking to move away from Eastlands.
However, Ferguson paid Tottenham £30.75m for striker Dimitar Berbatov in 2008, while Chelsea splashed out £30.8m to sign Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan in 2006.
Mancini hails City's European attitude
Roberto Mancini praised Manchester City's attitude after they booked their place in the group stages of the Europa League with a 3-0 aggregate victory over Timisoara.
Goals from Shaun-Wright Phillips and Dedryck Boyata secured a 2-0 second-led victory for the ambitious Eastlands club on Thursday night and afterwards Mancini was happy with the commitment on display from a much-changed side.
"We had a good focus on the match because this game is difficult if you think it is going to be easy," he said.
"You start the game slowly and you can have a problem. But we started the game very well, had a good focus.
"It was difficult because they had 10 players behind the ball and sometimes we couldn't find any space but I think it was a good game."
Mancini is now looking forward to Friday's draw where City's group stage opponents will be revealed.
He continued: "It is an important trophy. I think the Europa League is difficult because you play more games.
"But if we can change some players every game, I think we can arrive at the end and play in the final. It is not like the Champions League, sure, but it is important.
"It was vital we played a good game tonight and now we are in the group stages."
Craig Bellamy wants to spend rest of career at Cardiff
Lisa Rogers interviews Bellamy and Dave Jones on Friday's Sport Wales, 1900 BST, BBC TWO Wales
Wales captain and striker Craig Bellamy says he would like to spend the rest of his career at Cardiff City.
"If we are successful as a team and I'm successful it gives me a much stronger chance of being here for the rest of my career, I'd love to stay," he said.
The on-loan Manchester City man was speaking alongside Cardiff manager Dave Jones in an exclusive interview for Friday's Sport Wales television show.
But Bellamy warned that failure to perform could curtail his Cardiff stay.
"If we don't get promoted to the Premier League and I don't have a particularly good year, how can I justify being here another year and how can Cardiff justify trying to keep me?" he said.
"You have to be realistic. It all depends on how I play and how we do as a team.
"I'm just focusing on the year, doing well and getting promoted."
Robbie Savage has already stated that his former Wales team-mate Bellamy might decide to stay at Cardiff beyond his year's loan.
Bellamy began life with his home-town club with a goal and two assists as Cardiff beat Doncaster 4-0 on Saturday.
"I think he feels accepted... I think he could stay at Cardiff for the rest of his career, I think that's how much he likes it there," Savage told 5 Live.
"He's a fantastic player, one of the hardest-working... I've ever seen."
As well as the Bluebirds' surprise capture of Bellamy, Jason Koumas, Seyi Olofinjana, Andy Keogh, Tom Heaton and Danny Drinkwater have all arrived for the season on loan from Premier League teams.
Despite debts estimated at £30million, Cardiff now appear to have one of the strongest squads in the Championship and last season's beaten play-off finalists are one of the favourites to finally make the leap to the Premier League.
*See the full Craig Bellamy feature on Sport Wales, BBC TWO Wales, Friday, 27 August, 1900-1930 BST
Behind Enemy Lines: Sunderland fans view on Sunday's match
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WAG OF THE DAY
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TRANSFER BOLLOX
Tottenham are in talks with AC Milan over bringing Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to White Hart Lane on a season-long loan deal. The move will include the option to buy at the end of the spell, with the sum of £12m thought to be the asking price. Daily Mirror
Newcastle and West Ham are keen on signing Tottenham striker Robbie Keane on loan before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday. Talksport
Liverpool and Newcastle will find out soon who has won the race to sign Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa. The 23-year-old has gone on strike at his French club in an effort to force through a move. German side Werder Bremen are also interested. Talksport
Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg is not interested in leaving the Dutch side for Arsenal following their Champions League qualification. Talksport
West Ham are poised to make a move for Hamburg's 29-year-old right-back Guy Demel. Talksport
Stoke and Portsmouth are lining up a swap deal with winger Liam Lawrence and striker Dave Kitson set to head for the south coast and Marc Wilson moving to Staffordshire. Daily Mirror
Arsenal have made an inquiry for Lille goalkeeper Mickael Landreau - but have not given up on signing Fulham's Mark Schwarzer. Daily Mail
AC Milan and Barcelona have agreed a deal to take striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the San Siro, according to reports in the Spanish media. imscouting.com
OTHER BOLLOX
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi wants Liverpool to be humane and let fellow Argentine Javier Mascherano leave Anfield for the Nou Camp. Daily Mirror
Former Hull manager Phil Brown, who is currently out of work, has reiterated his desire to become England manager. Talksport
England manager Fabio Capello can forget about recalling Paul Scholes to the national squad. The veteran Manchester United midfielder has no intention of going back on his 2004 decision to retire from international football. The Sun
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez called Birmingham boss Alex McLeish "disrespectful" over his pursuit of Latics winger Charles N'Zogbia. The Sun
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has reopened his feud with Stoke, accusing them of turning football into 'rugby'. Daily Star
New Manchester United striker Bebe, who manager Alex Ferguson paid £7.4m for without seeing him play, was not included in the club's recent 16-man reserve squad to face Manchester City - and was this week taken out of a training match because he was 'off the pace'. Daily Mail
Along with reacting angrily to the taunts of former Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho - who said that Rafael Benitez was lucky to inherit such a good side - the club's new manager has slammed a decision to allow television cameras into changing rooms at Serie A games, insisting it breaches a "priestly sanctuary".
The Sun
Uefa president Michel Platini has launched an initiative that he claims will produce referees who are just as fit as footballers - and who will be able to provide a "99 to 100 per cent" guarantee of no more mistakes. Daily Mail
more bollox later
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