€200m bid for Messi, Barca want Aguero, Toure rules out Real switch
An audacious move for the legendary Argentine is being reported, but the Blues' top striker could go the other way
Manuel Pellegrini has not had his squad at his disposal this week due to the international break.
That means he has had plenty of time on his hands to think about the other aspects of his job - including transfer plans for the summer.
And there are plenty of rumours regarding who the Blues might go for out there today.
We start with an incredible - and quite frankly hard to believe - report suggesting that City are ready to test Barcelona's resolve over Lionel Messi. They plan to meet his €200m buy-out clause and see whether the player is willing to come to the Premier League.
But that might come at a cost, with the Catalans believed to be readying a big-money move for Sergio Aguero. No thank you!
Pellegrini need not worry about losing another of his stars to one of Spain's giants, however. Yaya Toure has ruled out ever joining Real Madrid due to his love for former club Barca.
And finally, Edin Dzeko has been regularly linked with a move away from City, with Juventus and Milan touted as potential destinations. But it seems that Inter, who this week confirmed a deal to bring Nemanja Vidic in from United, want to make it a Manchester double in the summer.
Rosler plans to upset the footballing love of his life - City
How the former Blues striker has turned Wigan into a force to be reckoned with in Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final clash at the Etihad
Cut Wigan manager Uwe Rosler and you half expect the former City striker to bleed Sky Blue.
He played during one of the club’s bleakest spells, but 64 goals in 175 games helped him become a cult hero on the Maine Road terraces.
His youngest son Colin is even named after Colin Bell and is a promising prospect in City’s Academy set-up.
So Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final between his current club and the most favourite of his former teams at the Etihad Stadium is the best and worst of ties for the German.
Certainly, the Latics boss will need all his diplomatic skills to talk himself out of any conflict of interest.
When he took over at the DW Stadium last December, Rosler was asked how he felt after his beloved City’s defeat to his present paymasters in last season’s FA Cup final.
“Why are you asking me that?” he grimaced. “At that point I didn’t think I would be sitting here as Wigan manager.
“I had tickets for Wembley but I couldn’t go,” added Rosler, who endured a weekly commute from his Wilmslow home to London while in charge of League One Brentford.
There’s no escape this weekend as Wigan put their trophy defence on the line against a side still in the hunt for an unprecedented quadruple.
City will kick-off favourites to avenge their Wembley nightmare, a defeat that ultimately cost Roberto Mancini his job.
But Latics are on fire and include Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Cardiff City among their victims en route to the last eight.
Prior to Rosler’s appointment Latics had lost four in a row. He observed rather than took charge of a fifth defeat at Millwall and couldn’t prevent a sixth against Slovenian’s NK Maribor in the Europa League.
Since then Wigan have played 18 Championship and FA Cup ties, losing just two - against Doncaster and Huddersfield. They are sixth in the table, three points behind fifth-placed Forest with a game in hand.
They’ve won their last five games.
So, what has been the difference?
“Uwe has changed the style of play and the team presses higher up the park than before,” said John McGinlay, the former Bolton striker who is chief scout at Wigan having been brought to the DW Stadium by Rosler’s predecessor Owen Coyle.
“He knows exactly what he wants and is quite bullish in that sense. He demands a high work rate and they have worked hard to achieve the results they have got up to this point.
“But the biggest turnaround is not being in Europe and the ability to pick a more settled team.
“The schedule was brutal and by playing Thursday-Sunday, you are always playing catch up. Your competitors have probably played on a Saturday and if they have won it puts you under pressure.
“It’s the cup holders against the cup favourites on Sunday but just maybe City will have one eye on the Champions League game with Barcelona on Tuesday.
“The cup has brought the best out of Wigan and the players are desperate to hang on to it.”
Rosler is now charged with protecting former Wigan manager Roberto Martinez’s legacy. But his ties with City are unbreakable.
“People always ask how I would do if I was a player at City now,” said the affable 49-year-old, dad of two and husband to Ciciele.
“Obviously some of the City players are breathtakingly good but the training and fitness regimes are not comparable with my time. Doing what they do, we would have been better players as well.
“How far I would have gone? I cannot answer that. But when I compare my training to the training my son receives, it is from a different planet.”
Wigan owner Dave Whelan said of Rosler following his arrival: ”His ambition is to manage in the Premier League.” A City boss of the future? Don’t bet against it!
Manchester City's Sergio Aguero praises 'man-manager' Manuel Pellegrini after Capital One Cup win
City won their first trophy under the Chilean last weekend and Aguero hopes it is the first of many this season
Sergio Aguero has hailed Manuel Pellegrini's man-management skills as Manchester City eye an unprecedented quadruple this season.
City have already bagged the Capital One Cup and have their sights set on adding the Premier League, FA Cup and ChampionsLeague this term.
The Champions League may be a long shot, with Pellegrini's men needing to overturn a 2-0 deficit in Barcelona next Wednesday to progress to the last eight.
But City have the chance to become the first side in English football history to do the domestic treble of the League, FA Cup and League Cup in the same season.
And star striker Aguero has identified Pellegrini's way of dealing with his players as the reason for City's success this term, after they ended last season empty-handed.
Former boss Roberto Mancini was sacked last summer after losing the dressing-room, but Aguero said the Chilean has won over the squad with the way he treats his players.
"Every manager is different, and with Manuel what he does is he talks a lot to all of us and treats every player the same," said the Argentinian striker.
"This is important. He says things to motivate us and that's good. I'm pleased as it [the Capital One Cup] is the first trophy for Manuel.
"We've adapted quite quickly to his way of playing and I'm pleased as he's given us a lot of guidance.
"I'd love to win that [the treble] and I think we can aim for that."
Aguero, who has 26 goals in 26 games for City this season, made his return in the 3-1 Capital One Cup final win over Sunderland after a month-long lay-off with a hamstring injury, playing for an hour at Wembley.
If City are to have any chance of progressing against the odds at the expense of Barca next week, Aguero must be fit, and it remains to seen whether he starts Sunday's FA Cup tie at home to Wigan.
Yet Pellegrini may feel compelled to play Aguero on Sunday, to give him some much-needed game-time ahead of the trip to Barcelona, to ensure he can be as sharp as possible before the ultimate test in the Nou Camp.
Aguero said he felt not reaction when he played at Wembley and added: "I felt fine. It was my first game since the injury.
"I'm happy to be back. Obviously there's always that worry when you come back that there's no reaction but it all went fine.
"In England you play a lot and we have to get used to it. Yes, there are a lot of games, but we have to adapt to English football and get on with it."
City star on Hughes radar
Stoke boss Mark Hughes continues to be linked with a summer swoop for Manchester City defender Micah Richards.
Hughes knows Richards well from his time in charge at the Etihad Stadium and is keen to link up with him once again as his time at City draws to a close.
Richards was once one of the most highly-rated youngsters in English football but he has struggled for action this season and looks sure to move on in search of more game time.
There will be no shortage of interest in the defender and the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Aston Villa have already been heavily linked, but Hughes hopes his relationship with the player could win the day.
Richards has just 12 months left to run on his contract and although City will want a fee, it will not be the kind of figure he would have commanded two years ago, meaning Stoke could have a chance.
Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah to pay a learning visit to Manchester City
Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah will spend four days at Manchester City before returning home from the international friendly defeat against Montenegro, GHANAsoccernet.com is reliably informed.
The Black Stars trainer will travel straight to the UK following the disappointing 1-0 defeat to Montenegro in an international friendly on Wednesday.
Appiah will be meeting with City’s coach Manuel Pellegrini and his staff to share ideas over the emerging trends of the game.
The learning visits to Manchester City forms part of the Ghana FA’s plans to strengthen the technical team ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
Coach Appiah has made previous visits to the English giants during the time of former coach Roberto Mancini.
The Ghana FA have a standing partnership agreement with Manchester City which involves the exchange of technical, logistical and medical support.
Coach Kwesi Appiah is now limited to monitoring his players since there is no FIFA friendly dates until the end of the season.
Appiah will name his squad in May to commence camping in Rotterdam where they will also be playing the Netherlands in an international friendly.
The team will then move camp to the USA to play Honduras in another friendly before travelling to Brazil for the World Cup.
The Black Stars is drawn in Group G alongside USA, Germany and Portugal and will be based in Maceio.
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Silva: A crucial few months
David Silva has said the next few months will be crucial in deciding who goes to the World Cup with Spain.
The Manchester City midfielder was a second half substitute in Wednesday’s win over Italy and caught the eye with some nice passes and intricate link up play.
He was involved in the game’s only goal after a combination with Andres Iniesta fell to scorer Pedro, and Silva told reporters that his bond with Iniesta is good despite the pair wanting to play in similar areas of the pitch.
“I understand [Iniesta],” Silva said.
“He is a great player and I really enjoy it when we combine.
“In these two months I hope to play a lot,” he continued.
“You have to be 100% fit to play at the World Cup and I hope to have a good tournament.
“Hopefully we can continue at a high level and in the right direction. It will take a lot of sacrifice to get into the final squad.”
City aim to bring cream of European youth to Manchester
Blues planning to host top youngsters once they move into new facilities
City aim to bring the cream of European youth football to play their own burgeoning young talents next season.
The Blues intend to kick on with their ambitious youth development programme after moving in to their new home on the Etihad Campus - now physically and symbolically linked to the stadium by a bridge.
The owners have ploughed multi-millions into the Blues’ youth ranks as part of their plan to make the club self-sustaining in the near future.
But the move to the stunning new home will take them to another level, academy head Mark Allen believes, and they will be inviting top Continental sides to send their youth teams as well as competing in the UEFA Youth League.
“It gives us the opportunity to further attract and develop more European teams to play against us, and test us,” said Allen, whose under-19s are in the quarter-finals of this year’s UEFA tournament.
“My role is to try to produce players capable not only of playing in the Premier League, but of being part of a team that can win the Premier League, and that can handle that and also the problems of playing European football in midweek.”
Etihad Airways announces football legend Patrick Vieira as latest Etihad brand ambassador
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has welcomed international football star Patrick Vieira as the latest high-profile addition to its Guest Ambassador program.
One of the most accomplished sportsmen of his generation, Vieira has won nine league titles and five national cups during his 17-year career as midfielder with some of the world’s leading football teams, including Manchester City, Arsenal, Inter Milan and Juventus.
He was also part of France’s national football team during its 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 victories, and currently serves as Head of the Elite Development Squad at Manchester City Football Club, which is also sponsored by Etihad Airways.
In his new role as Etihad Guest Ambassador, Vieira will work on a number of initiatives to promote Etihad Airways in the UK and other key markets around the world. The agreement builds upon the success of several grass roots sporting initiatives run by Etihad Airways and Patrick Vieira in the past two years, focused on the athletic development of youngsters in key markets around the world.
Peter Baumgartner, Chief Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “When we look for Etihad Guest Ambassadors, we look for remarkable men and women who follow their aspirations, excel in their chosen fields, and also reflect the brand values of Etihad Airways. Patrick Vieira, who is one of the football world’s biggest success stories, fits the description perfectly.
“Etihad Airways already has a long-standing relationship with Patrick, as he’s a regular guest on our flights across the globe, and we have also run a series of collaborative projects that aim to develop the skills of aspiring footballers worldwide. We are delighted to extend this relationship even further by welcoming Patrick as our latest Etihad Guest Ambassador.”
The Etihad Guest Ambassador program was launched in October 2013 and features some of the biggest names from the global entertainment, art and sporting industries.
Current ambassadors include Australian celebrity Dannii Minogue, Indian actress Katrina Kaif, German golfer Martin Kaymer, Vietnamese Australian chef Luke Nguyen, and Australian cricketer Shane Warne.
Commenting on his appointment as Etihad Guest Ambassador, Patrick Vieira said: “I have been a regular traveller on Etihad Airways flights since the airline was first established a decade ago and really admire the superior service that is consistently delivered to guests.
“Aside from this, I’ve also had the pleasure of working with Etihad Airways on a number of projects, such as hosting community sporting events for youngsters in the UAE, Seychelles and China. In my official capacity as Etihad Guest Ambassador, I look forward to even more collaboration, with a number of exciting promotional initiatives planned for the future.”
Don't mention the quad, says Kompany
The City skipper believes his side are capable of something special but is refusing to get distracted by talk of it.
Talk of the quadruple is banned at the Etihad.
That’s the message from skipper Vincent Kompany - despite his side’s Capital One Cup win.
City have one trophy in the bag and three still to play for, raising the possibility that the team could claim an unprecedented quadruple.
But while the Blues captain believes it is possible, he says you won’t be hearing it from him.
“The word quadruple is forbidden in Manchester, especially in the dressing room,” he said when asked about it on international duty.
“I never use the word, and you won’t hear any of my team-mates using it, either. I have sensed from the beginning of this season that we could be on for something special, but I never mentioned the word quadruple or said we could win the lot this campaign.”
The quadruple dreams face potentially their biggest threat next Wednesday, with City needing a good win away at Barcelona to avoid being knocked out of the Champions League.
Kompany is aware things may not go their way at the Nou Camp, but believes that the team can make it all the way, this season or not.
“I said that sooner or later City will win the Champions’ League, and I believe we will,” he said.
“It’s not necessarily going to happen this season, though. It’s the same with the other three trophies. But, equally, I’m certainly not writing off our chances at the Nou Camp.
“Of course we believe we can do it. If we didn’t, there would be no point travelling to Barcelona. It’s a tough ask, but it can be done.”
City's chase for four trophies could end before Barcelona if they fall to another shock defeat against Wigan Athletic.
The Blues take on the Championship side still hurting from last season's FA Cup final defeat to the Latics, but will have to be on their guard against a team building momentum under City legend Uwe Rosler.
The glut of cup football will also leave City chasing Chelsea in the Premier League.
Manuel Pellegrini's men would go top of the league if they win their two games in hand on their title rivals, but could be nine points off the pace by the time they kick off their next league match, owing to their cup commitments.
Watch Fernandinho score a 30-yard screamer for Brazil against South Africa.
http://sport.bt.com/video-0136381440198 ... 7928565001
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[/spoiler]AC Milan have entered the race to sign Levante goalkeeper Keylor Navas - the 27-year-old is a target for Liverpool and Everton. Talkshit
Sunderland are in danger of losing four first-team players in the summer. Midfielders Jack Colback, 24, Craig Gardner, 27, and Sebastian Larsson, 28, along with defender Phil Bardsley, 28, are all involved in contract disputes going into the final weeks of the season. DSSC
Stoke City are a step closer to signing Croatia striker Ivica Olic on a free transfer. The 34-year-old says a move to the Premier League would be his top choice when he leaves German club Wolfsburg in the summer. DSSC
Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, 25, seems likely to leave the club in the summer after claiming that lengthy spells on the bench for the struggling Premier League champions show they "don't take me much into account". Daily Mirror
Former Chelsea playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, 22, who joined Wolfsburg in the January transfer window, says Jose Mourinho blocked a potential transfer to Borussia Dortmund when a move by the Blues for striker Robert Lewandowski, 25, fell through. Inside Futbol
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert is keen to sign Senegal striker Moussa Konate. The 20-year-old is currently on loan at Italian side Genoa from Russian club FC Krasnodar, but has been scouted three times by Villa. Talkshit
England striker Wayne Rooney could be handed the Manchester United captaincy before the end of the season. The 28-year-old is in line to lead the Red Devils, with current skipper Nemanja Vidic set to leave Old Trafford for Inter Milan in the summer. Daily Star
West Bromwich Albion striker Nicolas Anelka is set to accept a five-match ban following his controversial quenelle gesture. The 34-year-old is not planning to contest the punishment - unless the Football Association pushes for an extension to his suspension. Daily Telegraph
Massimo Cellino's proposed takeover of Leeds may collapse if the Cagliari owner is found guilty of failing to pay tax on a yacht he imported to Italy from the United States. Guardian
Young footballers must follow the examples set by professionals such as Frank Lampard and John Terry, according to Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese manager, 51, says players must be "fanatical for victories". Evening Standard
The Chelsea manager also believes England can win the World Cup. "One day they have to do it," he says. Daily Mirror
Ajax manager Frank de Boer turned down the chance to manage Tottenham Hotspur in January. The 43-year-old former Netherlands international also rejected an approach to take charge of Liverpool, according to his brother, Ronald. Talkshit
West Ham will not offer any new contracts to players until their Premier League status is secured. The Hammers sit seven points above the relegation zone, with Joe Cole, 32, among a number of players whose deals expire at the end of the season. Sun
Manchester United are considering selling striker Robin van Persie at the end of the season with Chelsea, Monaco and Juventus touted as possible destinations for the 30-year-old Netherlands international. Tuttosport
Inter Milan are close to signing an agreement with Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis, 28, who is out of contract in the summer and has refused to sign an extension at Stade Gerland. Tuttosport
Denmark manager Morten Olsen wished England good luck in the World Cup in Brazil, before adding cuttingly that they will need it judging by their 1-0 friendly win over his side at Wembley. Guardian
Christian Benteke may have been in scintillating form for Aston Villa during their win over Norwich on Sunday, but the 23-year-old Belgium striker offered a contender for miss of the season in his country's 2-2 draw with Ivory Coast on Wednesday. Metro
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