Patrick Vieira signing for Manchester City might not work out from a football point of view. But taken from a financial perspective, it spells out a terrible warning to City's biggest rivals say Gary Lineker.
Vieira will think he has won the lottery. It's a lovely little earner for him, particularly if he sticks around for next season as well and picks up £10million. Patrick Vieira's colossal wages at City threaten to make even Sir Alex Ferguson and United feel poor
I must admit I find it a bit strange that City would take a 33-year-old no longer considered good enough for Inter Milan's first team by Jose Mourinho. Nevertheless, the fact they can afford to pay so handsomely for a player who is not a long-term investment says a lot about City's healthy financial state compared with everyone else's, with the possible exception of Chelsea. The most worried people by this will be the supporters of Manchester United, who are waiting and waiting to see if Sir Alex Ferguson spends the £80m he received for Cristiano Ronaldo.
A shift in the balance of power between United and City won't happen overnight because Manchester United are such a huge club.
But you can see it happening if, indeed, the debt at Old Trafford is as intrusive as believed and they cannot spend on the top players in future years. Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes are coming to the end and have been three such fantastic players, it would cost £50m at least to find three proper replacements.
If they have not got the funds to replace those players with people of equal stature, you can see in time United not even being the biggest club in Manchester. That is not beyond the realms of possibility.
I am sure United will be worried about it. In the past, they have always come up with the one or two big players like Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand when they have really needed them and it will be interesting to see what they do now when their 'noisy neighbours' can invest millions on a player effectively past his best.
Vieira was fantastic in his heyday, only slightly behind Roy Keane in the list of all-time great midfield warriors in the Premier League. Yet, Arsene Wenger did not seem particularly interested in taking him back to Arsenal, or maybe he was blown away by the wages City were offering.
It certainly causes a problem for other Premier League managers when they try to buy a player and he turns around and says: 'I want what Vieira is getting at City.'
The signing isn't all good news for City, though. I think it possibly highlights the fact that they still can't get the real A-listers to Eastlands without Champions League football. I would be more impressed if someone like David Villa signs for City.
Certainly the very best like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo wouldn't be interested at the moment. They don't need the extra nought in their pay packet. And it is well documented that Kaka and John Terry turned down the chance to join the City 'project'.
City's new-found wealth under Abu Dhabi ownership has come at a time when football is being financially crippled, like a lot of businesses. The differences between the haves and have-nots has n e v e r b e e n greater, with clubs such as Portsmouth and Crystal Palace even struggling to pay their players' wages.
We had a similar situation at my home-town club Leicester City a few years ago when 40 of us put in a donation to keep them alive. You hope and pray no club goes to the wall because football clubs are so vital to their communities.
It is ironic that chairmen often put clubs at financial risk because they are trying to please supporters by making that extra signing at top dollar. The consequences can be horrific, though. If you overspend on players' wages and revenue drops in some way, the results can be catastrophic.
Players will naturally take the wages someone is prepared to pay, so it's hard to blame them.
But chairmen and owners have a responsibility now to be frugal because the really important thing is that each town in this country has a football club to support on a Saturday afternoon.
That is not easy when Manchester City can afford to bring in Vieira with what is petty cash for them but a fortune for everyone else - even Manchester United.
Patrick Vieira eyes future job as Manchester City coach
The scorn heaped upon Patrick Vieira for his mercenary instincts and long-expired sell-by date does not so much malign the man as miss the point.
Already Vieira is looking to the future. Indeed, his move to Manchester City is understood to be motivated less by a nostalgia for his Arsenal achievements, or any desire to revive those days of yore, than by a strategy to develop the next phase of his career – in coaching. His likely debut against Blackburn on Monday night should be read as a first step towards his acceptance into the backroom team of Roberto Mancini, the man who was his mentor at Inter Milan. There is more than one way in which Vieira can act as a conduit for Mancini. His natural mould as a midfield enforcer means the manager's messages can be imparted with extra emphasis. His equal fluency in Italian and English surely helps, too. But so limited is the 33 year-old's shelf life on the pitch that, as part of a City deal that could run for 18 months or more, a role off it is also envisaged. "Patrick knows me and my staff well," Mancini said, upon unveiling Vieira at Eastlands. That he does: he enjoys an easy bonhomie with the Italian, despite the injury traumas that beset him at Inter, and can claim intimate knowledge of the methods of Fausto Salsano and Ivan Carminati, the trusted nerazzurri lieutenants whom Mancini brought to England. Should he fulfil his stated aim of inspiring City to a top-four finish this season, thus protecting his manager's job as well as his own, he could have a chance to know them even better, on the training pitch and in the dugout. Think of it as the Dennis Bergkamp role. Only last month Vieira's former Dutch team-mate, and fellow alumnus of Arsenal's 'Invincibles' season, was linked to a return to North London in a coaching capacity. Arsène Wenger denied the rumour but tellingly praised Bergkamp's leadership abilities, indicating that such a role could yet be found for him. The same applies to Vieira. A consummate captain since the day he led Cannes aged just 19, Mancini's latest signing wants to take his talismanic influence a stage further. He should find fertile ground for this ambition at City, if rumours of an awkward dynamic between Mancini and assistant Brian Kidd are any gauge. Kidd's appointment at the same time as Mancini's had the feel of a sentimental one, providing some English grit to temper the surfeit of Latin sophistication. Vieira would unquestionably be a better fit: his authority would go unchallenged by any of the players, and he could offer assistance of the same uncomplicated sort with which Stuart Pearce has furnished Fabio Capello. At a stroke, the dressing room would be a livelier place. Mancini has made it his business to promote talkers in his team – he wants to hear more than the jabbering of Craig Bellamy – to redress impressions of timidity. He has described Vieira as City's version of John Terry, although Vieira himself might prefer to be bracketed with a certain contemporary called Roy Keane. Teams were never quiet when those two were in their pomp.
The spectacle of Mancini at the helm is comforting for Vieira. While their three-year Inter relationship was not the most fruitful, as Vieira lost his first-team place to Olivier Dacourt, it was underpinned by a mutual appreciation that he never detected from Mancini's successor, Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese would articulate his midfielder's injury problems in blunt terms, even admitting last week that Vieira had played "his last game" for Inter. At least Vieira can be guaranteed front-line opportunities by Mancini, which could, given the conspicuous lack of backbone in the French national team, cement yield a regular place among Les Bleus in time for the World Cup. He has identified a return as one of the forces compelling him to keep playing. It will be fascinating to watch Vieira's City assimilation from a tactical point of view. Mancini has made changes to the formation, abandoning Mark Hughes' beloved model of 4-2-3-1 in favour of a 4-4-2 system that supports those ravenous front men, Bellamy and Carlos Tévez. Vieira, however, would function best as a 'screen' at the centre of a midfield three, flanked, in all probability, by Gareth Barry and Nigel de Jong. The task is tantalising, if daunting: can Vieira, with rickety knees and declining pace, possibly hope to compete with De Jong, eight years younger and coveted by Real Madrid? The answer is uncertain, but there may be an alternative. When Wenger admitted last summer that he would consider working with Vieira again at Arsenal, it was believed to be with an outlandish plan in mind: namely, to retrain him as a centre-back. As incongruous as this might appear, such a conversion would serve a purpose at City, where the struggles of Joleon Lescott in central defence have been all too apparent. Mancini, it seems, may have had a more subtle agenda for inviting parallels with Chelsea's Terry. But Vieira, in this chapter and the ones beyond, is defiantly committed to remaining his own man.
GERMANY’S Jerome Boateng is the next transfer target for Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini.
City, having just snapped up Patrick Vieira on a free from Inter Milan, have opened talks in the last few days for the Hamburg centre-half, who is valued at £15million.But if the deal is delayed until the summer it is believed that Boateng, 21, has a clause in his contract which would allow him to leave for around £10m. Berlin-born Boateng who has just broken into the German national team after being a regular in the Under-21s, is under contract with Hamburg for another two years. But talks on a new deal with the Bundesliga club have stalled, alerting City to the availability of one of the new stars in Germany. City face competition from Mancini’s former club Inter Milan, now managed by ex-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. And Chelsea are also interested in the versatile Boateng, who can operate at right-back and in midfi eld.
MANCHESTER CITY are closing in on a £7m deal for Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul.
City want to take advantage of Pompey's cash crisis and sign the French centre-half. Kaboul's form has improved on the South Coast after a disastrous spell with Tottenham two years ago. Former Spurs chief Martin Jol claimed he was the "best young central defender in Europe" when he moved to White Hart Lane from Auxerre. That billing proved short-lived after he lost his form and confidence following the £5m move to North London.
New City chief Roberto Mancini wants to add some steel to City's defence and Kaboul is among his targets.
Kaboul, 24, is now one of the most consistent defenders in the Premier League and is waiting for City to make their move.
Cristian Ansaldi will fly in this week to complete a £6million move to Manchester City.
His Russian club Rubin Kazan finally agreed a deal last night to allow the left-back to join Roberto Mancini's Eastlands revolution.
And he will be the Italian's second signing after Patrick Vieira joined from Inter Milan on Friday. Argentine left-back Ansaldi, 23, is being brought in to provide Wayne Bridge with a long-term challenge for his spot in the team. Ansaldi shone for Rubin Kazan in their Champions League campaign earlier this season. He was an instrumental part of the side that beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp in October.That win shot Ansaldi into Diego Maradona's World Cup plans and Mancini believes the defender is one of the games rising stars.
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Spanish side Atletico Madrid are believed to have offered to sell Sergio Aguero, 21, to Chelsea for £30m, providing they can have the striker back on loan for the rest of the season.Sunday Express
Dimitar Berbatov will head a sensational clear-out of £80m of Manchester United talent in the summer. Anderson, Nani, Zoran Tosic and unsettled central defender Nemanja Vidic are also set to leave. Sunday Mirror
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has admitted for the first time he may be powerless to keep Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres if Liverpool's financial woes aren't resolved. News of the World
Chelsea have entered the race to sign German striker Kevin Kuranyi. The 27-year-old Schalke striker has also held talks with Sunderland.News of the World
Manchester United are interested in signing West Ham's £10m-rated Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami. Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester City have also shown interest in the former Lazio star. (Sunday Express)
Meanwhile, United have put goalkeeper Ben Foster up for sale for £4m as first choice Edwin van der Sar prepares to return after taking time off to nurse his wife. Mail on Sunday
Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa has told friends he will join Tottenham in the summer. The 30-year-old, who has 79 international caps, currently plays for Spartak Moscow in Russia. News of the World
Wolves and Sunderland have joined the race to sign Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford. Newcastle have already bid £1.5m for the 26-year-old who is valued at £2.5m by the Elland Road club. News of the World
Bolton and Hull are also interested in former Wealdstone striker Beckford, who scored Leeds winner against Manchester United in the FA Cup last weekend. Sunday Mirror
Kenwyne Jones is set to snub Birmingham's £10m January bid to sign him and stay at Sunderland until the summer. The striker is keen to play Champions League football next season.Sunday Mirror
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce believes he has signed Maynor Figueroa, 26, from Wigan for £6m and Hamburg's Ivory Coast right back Guy Demel for £5m. News of the World
Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan is set to bring in six players in an £8m swoop on Scotland's Old Firm. The former Celtic manager wants to take five players from Parkhead and £1.5m Rangers striker Kris Boyd News of the World
Birmingham will complete the signing of Sporting Gijon's Michel on Monday. The midfielder watched the 1-1 draw with Manchester United at St Andrew's on Saturday and has already passed a medical. News of the World
Fulham have emerged as serious challengers to Manchester City in the chase for Crystal Palace striker Victor Moses, 19. News of the World
New Bolton manager Owen Coyle is keen to sign winger Chris Eagles and full-back Tyrone Mears from his former club Burnley.News of the World
Coyle is also trying to hijack Burnley's loan move for Arsenal's 17-year-old midfielder Jack Wilshere. News of the World
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce must sell Benni McCarthy before making a £2m move for Stoke striker James Beattie. McCarthy is interesting Portsmouth and Birmingham but neither club has tabled a bid for the South African striker. News of the World
Matthew Kilgallon will join Everton if Sheffield United fail to reach the Premier League in May. The Blades defender snubbed a £2m move to Newcastle this week in favour of staying at Bramall Lane. News of the World
WAG OF THE DAY - Gemma Atkinson
http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... a-atkinson
OTHER BOLLOX
Portsmouth face a make-or-break week in their battle to for survival. Unless they pay off £10m they owe to other clubs, the Premier League will withhold the £7m Pompey were due to receive from TV and give it straight to the club's creditors. Sunday Express
Ron Noades has offered to help rescue crisis club Crystal Palace from the brink of financial meltdown. Palace need to raise around £6m to see the season through and former chairman Noades is willing to put a consortium together to help. News of the World
Aston Villa winger James Milner will begin talks to extend his contract until 2015 when the transfer window shuts. The 24-year-old England winger could demand a big pay rise after impressing in his 18 months at the club and Villa boss Martin O'Neill is keen to fend off interest from Liverpool. News of the World
Huddersfield manager Lee Clark, 37, has emerged as a contender for the Burnley job after impressing in his first year as boss at the Galpharm Stadium. News of the World
West Ham's Icelandic owners look set to sell the club before the end of January. Former Birmingham owners David Gold and David Sullivan face competition from London finance company Intermarket, but a deal is expected in the next seven to 10 days.
News of the World
QPR are set to make their 12th managerial change in four years this summer with Alan Curbishley and former boss Luigi De Canio in line to replace Paul Hart. Mail on Sunday
Liverpool's owners have been plunged into more chaos after a foul-mouthed email rant by director Tom Hicks Junior. The Texan told a Reds fan, who had written to the club to express his concerns over the financial future of the club: "Blow me **** face. Go to hell. I'm sick of you."News of the World
FINAL RISIBLE BOLLOX
According to The People, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is hoping to sign Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha on a loan deal.
The 23 year-old signed a new five year agreement at Manchester City during the summer, but has been restricted to just 4 appearances so far this season, partly due to injury and at least for now does not appear to be in new manager Roberto Mancini's first team plans. Liverpool are interested in providing cover for injured right-back Glen Johnson who is expected to be on the sidelines until the spring. However, the Reds are short of money to spend and a loan deal for Manchester City 's former England under-21 player Onuoha could provide the answer for Liverpool.
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