Updated Friday's B*ll*x
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 7:05 amMalaysian investors financing Craig Bellamy deal
DAVE Jones has confirmed that City’s Malaysian investors are financing the Craig Bellamy deal.
Wales captain Bellamy – named in John Toshack’s squad for the European Championship opener with Montenegro – has signed for the Bluebirds on a season-long loan from Manchester City and the striker has confirmed he has not taken a hit on his £75,000-a-week wages, plus £15,000 appearance money.
Man City have agreed to pay the vast majority of Bellamy’s wages – £50,000 or more – with Cardiff paying the rest. Meanwhile, Jones dismissed the furore kicked up among opposing fans and in the English press.
“Some people must be jealous,” Jones told the club’s official website. “Signing Craig Bellamy has not affected my player budget because that has been done with our chairman Dato Chan Tien Ghee and Vincent Tan.”
The Malaysians have also paid the club’s Inland Revenue bills up to date. South Wales Echo
Manchester City plot a bidding war between Besiktas and Fenerbahce for Robinho
Robinho finally looks to be on the brink of ending his turbulent Manchester City career by joining Turkish giants Besiktas in a £26million deal.
But City are hoping to instigate a bidding war between Besiktas and their Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce, who have also indicated interest in the 26-year-old striker.
Robinho wants out of Eastlands after less than two years. City opened talks with Besiktas this week and are on the brink of accepting their £16m offer for the Brazil World Cup star. An additional £10m of add-ons would be paid over four years.
Fenerbahce are also believed to be willing to match City’s asking price. Schalke are also believed to be interested.
City manager Roberto Mancini wants Robinho out and has been planning for this season without him.
It seems certain Robinho will leave before next week’s Europa League second leg clash against FC Timisoara.
The exodus of fringe City players continued yesterday as Slovakia winger Vladimir Weiss joined Rangers in Scotland on a season-long loan.
Weiss, who was on loan at Bolton last season, has struggled to make any impact after coming through City’s Academy.
GOAL OF THE DAY
[youtube]XseWBIK7a_w[/youtube]
Daily Mirror's shit stirring article of the day
Mancini: I would quit City for Italy
Roberto Mancini has rocked Manchester City by saying he wants to manage Italy.
The Italian revealed the one job that would persuade him to abandon City would be the chance to manage his country.
"You cannot say no to the national team," he said. "I would love to coach Italy one day."
Mancini, who saw Mario Balotelli score a debut winner in the Europa League at Timisora last night, has emerged as a managerial target for Roma. He has admitted he has found it hard to settle in England and misses life in Italy.
Although the Italian FA did not ask Mancini to succeed Marcello Lippi after the World Cup, the City boss said he would not be able to turn down his country.
"No, the Italian FA did not contact me," said Mancini. "So I cannot tell you what my answer would have been. But sooner or later it will happen."
Mancini had to warn new boy Balotelli to control his temper, despite his winning goal.
Balotelli, a £22.5million signing from Inter Milan, scored the 72nd minute decider.
But Balotelli marred his dream debut by earning a booking for shoving on an opponent and Mancini told his fiery young striker he could have been sent off in the Premier League.
"We must have a word with him about this, because the situation will be different in the Premier League than it is in Italy," said Mancini.
"But I was pleased with the way Mario played and I'm happy for him that he scored. He is a good player and I think he needs to play with the other players. It's important he gets to know his team-mates."
Balotelli hobbled off the pitch at the final whistle, clutching his right knee, but Mancini said the injury was nothing serious and the 20-year-old will be fit for City's Premier League clash with Liverpool on Monday.
"We don't think it's serious," said Mancini. "It was probably just a kick, but it's not a problem. Mario had a great debut. He needs to improve and get to know everybody, but it was the first time he had played with the team.
"But all of our players played well and we moved the ball around quickly. I think we deserved to score another goal because we had three or four good chances.
"It was a difficult game because Timisoara are a good team and they played very well in the first-half. In the end it was a good result for us. But they made it difficult for us by getting so many players behind the ball."
Robinho could finally be about to end his ill-fated two-year spell with City after Besiktas made a £16million bid for the British football's most expensive player. Robinho is said to been keen on the deal, which could rise to £26m with the completion of add-on clauses.
Fenerbahce are also due to hold talks with City over Robinho in the coming days, although the Brazil World Cup star is understood to favour a move to Besiktas, which would see him reunited with his former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster.
WAG OF THE DAY
[youtube]lQsbA09J86Q[/youtube]
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart is eyeing a move to Manchester United after becoming one of four players put up for sale. The Dutchman said: "If you are leaving Real Madrid, there is only one club that is not a step down - and that's Manchester United."Daily Express
Tottenham are set to offer £6m for Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, who has just one year remaining on his contract, and secure the services of Read Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra on a loan deal. Daily Mail
Santos president Alvaro Luis De Oliveira has offered 18-year-old playmaker Neymar a new and improved contract to try to keep him out of the reaches of Chelsea. talkSPORT
Birmingham are poised to make a £6m move for Tottenham defender Alan Hutton. talkSPORT
Carlton Cole insists he is happy at West Ham and will not be joining Liverpool this summer. The striker has been strongly linked with a move away from Upton Park to Anfield. talkSPORT
Spurs face a battle with Spanish side Seville in a race to sign Barcelona's former Arsenal winger Alex Hleb, who went on loan to German side Stuttgart last season. Daily Star
Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has confirmed he is considering the possibility of sending midfielder Alberto Aquilani out on loan in an effort to help him play first-team football. talkSPORT
Aquilani's agent insists the player will remain at Anfield but that is not preventing Juventus from lining up a bid for the Italian. IM Scouting
Blackburn are set to sign Jonathan Greening from Fulham on a season-long loan. The former Manchester United midfielder, 31, is not in new Fulham boss Mark Hughes's plans and Rovers have been cleared to speak to him. Daily Mirror
Bolton's versatile midfielder Matt Taylor is a target for West Ham and Blackburn, despite the £2m-rated star signing a new contract last year. Daily Mirror
OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea's 21-year-old defender Sam Hutchinson has been forced to retire because of a chronic knee injury. First spotted by Jose Mourinho, now at Real Madrid, he made his senior debut aged 18 against Everton in 2007 and played four times for the first team. the Independent
Dimitar Berbatov has painted himself as Manchester United's modern-day Eric Cantona. "Football is like art and my aim is to create beautiful things on the pitch to help the team be successful," said the Bulgarian, who has also drawn caricatures of team-mates Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic. Daily Mirror
DAVE Jones has confirmed that City’s Malaysian investors are financing the Craig Bellamy deal.
Wales captain Bellamy – named in John Toshack’s squad for the European Championship opener with Montenegro – has signed for the Bluebirds on a season-long loan from Manchester City and the striker has confirmed he has not taken a hit on his £75,000-a-week wages, plus £15,000 appearance money.
Man City have agreed to pay the vast majority of Bellamy’s wages – £50,000 or more – with Cardiff paying the rest. Meanwhile, Jones dismissed the furore kicked up among opposing fans and in the English press.
“Some people must be jealous,” Jones told the club’s official website. “Signing Craig Bellamy has not affected my player budget because that has been done with our chairman Dato Chan Tien Ghee and Vincent Tan.”
The Malaysians have also paid the club’s Inland Revenue bills up to date. South Wales Echo
Manchester City plot a bidding war between Besiktas and Fenerbahce for Robinho
Robinho finally looks to be on the brink of ending his turbulent Manchester City career by joining Turkish giants Besiktas in a £26million deal.
But City are hoping to instigate a bidding war between Besiktas and their Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce, who have also indicated interest in the 26-year-old striker.
Robinho wants out of Eastlands after less than two years. City opened talks with Besiktas this week and are on the brink of accepting their £16m offer for the Brazil World Cup star. An additional £10m of add-ons would be paid over four years.
Fenerbahce are also believed to be willing to match City’s asking price. Schalke are also believed to be interested.
City manager Roberto Mancini wants Robinho out and has been planning for this season without him.
It seems certain Robinho will leave before next week’s Europa League second leg clash against FC Timisoara.
The exodus of fringe City players continued yesterday as Slovakia winger Vladimir Weiss joined Rangers in Scotland on a season-long loan.
Weiss, who was on loan at Bolton last season, has struggled to make any impact after coming through City’s Academy.
GOAL OF THE DAY
[youtube]XseWBIK7a_w[/youtube]
Daily Mirror's shit stirring article of the day
Mancini: I would quit City for Italy
Roberto Mancini has rocked Manchester City by saying he wants to manage Italy.
The Italian revealed the one job that would persuade him to abandon City would be the chance to manage his country.
"You cannot say no to the national team," he said. "I would love to coach Italy one day."
Mancini, who saw Mario Balotelli score a debut winner in the Europa League at Timisora last night, has emerged as a managerial target for Roma. He has admitted he has found it hard to settle in England and misses life in Italy.
Although the Italian FA did not ask Mancini to succeed Marcello Lippi after the World Cup, the City boss said he would not be able to turn down his country.
"No, the Italian FA did not contact me," said Mancini. "So I cannot tell you what my answer would have been. But sooner or later it will happen."
Mancini had to warn new boy Balotelli to control his temper, despite his winning goal.
Balotelli, a £22.5million signing from Inter Milan, scored the 72nd minute decider.
But Balotelli marred his dream debut by earning a booking for shoving on an opponent and Mancini told his fiery young striker he could have been sent off in the Premier League.
"We must have a word with him about this, because the situation will be different in the Premier League than it is in Italy," said Mancini.
"But I was pleased with the way Mario played and I'm happy for him that he scored. He is a good player and I think he needs to play with the other players. It's important he gets to know his team-mates."
Balotelli hobbled off the pitch at the final whistle, clutching his right knee, but Mancini said the injury was nothing serious and the 20-year-old will be fit for City's Premier League clash with Liverpool on Monday.
"We don't think it's serious," said Mancini. "It was probably just a kick, but it's not a problem. Mario had a great debut. He needs to improve and get to know everybody, but it was the first time he had played with the team.
"But all of our players played well and we moved the ball around quickly. I think we deserved to score another goal because we had three or four good chances.
"It was a difficult game because Timisoara are a good team and they played very well in the first-half. In the end it was a good result for us. But they made it difficult for us by getting so many players behind the ball."
Robinho could finally be about to end his ill-fated two-year spell with City after Besiktas made a £16million bid for the British football's most expensive player. Robinho is said to been keen on the deal, which could rise to £26m with the completion of add-on clauses.
Fenerbahce are also due to hold talks with City over Robinho in the coming days, although the Brazil World Cup star is understood to favour a move to Besiktas, which would see him reunited with his former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster.
WAG OF THE DAY
[youtube]lQsbA09J86Q[/youtube]
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart is eyeing a move to Manchester United after becoming one of four players put up for sale. The Dutchman said: "If you are leaving Real Madrid, there is only one club that is not a step down - and that's Manchester United."Daily Express
Tottenham are set to offer £6m for Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, who has just one year remaining on his contract, and secure the services of Read Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra on a loan deal. Daily Mail
Santos president Alvaro Luis De Oliveira has offered 18-year-old playmaker Neymar a new and improved contract to try to keep him out of the reaches of Chelsea. talkSPORT
Birmingham are poised to make a £6m move for Tottenham defender Alan Hutton. talkSPORT
Carlton Cole insists he is happy at West Ham and will not be joining Liverpool this summer. The striker has been strongly linked with a move away from Upton Park to Anfield. talkSPORT
Spurs face a battle with Spanish side Seville in a race to sign Barcelona's former Arsenal winger Alex Hleb, who went on loan to German side Stuttgart last season. Daily Star
Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has confirmed he is considering the possibility of sending midfielder Alberto Aquilani out on loan in an effort to help him play first-team football. talkSPORT
Aquilani's agent insists the player will remain at Anfield but that is not preventing Juventus from lining up a bid for the Italian. IM Scouting
Blackburn are set to sign Jonathan Greening from Fulham on a season-long loan. The former Manchester United midfielder, 31, is not in new Fulham boss Mark Hughes's plans and Rovers have been cleared to speak to him. Daily Mirror
Bolton's versatile midfielder Matt Taylor is a target for West Ham and Blackburn, despite the £2m-rated star signing a new contract last year. Daily Mirror
OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea's 21-year-old defender Sam Hutchinson has been forced to retire because of a chronic knee injury. First spotted by Jose Mourinho, now at Real Madrid, he made his senior debut aged 18 against Everton in 2007 and played four times for the first team. the Independent
Dimitar Berbatov has painted himself as Manchester United's modern-day Eric Cantona. "Football is like art and my aim is to create beautiful things on the pitch to help the team be successful," said the Bulgarian, who has also drawn caricatures of team-mates Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic. Daily Mirror