TALKSHYTE BOLLOXManchester City weigh up move for Napoli ace as Balotelli replacementManchester City have begun sounding out possible replacements for controversial forward Mario Balotelli, with Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi at the top of their list, according to reports in Italy.
Argentine hit-man Lavezzi has enjoyed an impressive season, scoring nine goals in Serie A to help the club to third in the table.
Meanwhile, Balotelli, who joined City in a £24m deal last summer from Inter Milan, has endured a turbulent debut season in England which has featured two red cards and a training ground bust-up with team-mate Jerome Boateng.
Reports have suggested he could head back to Italy this summer, paving the way for Lavezzi to head to Eastlands.
However, initial talks have been far from positive between the clubs, with Napoli not wishing to sell their star asset, especially if they manage to get into the Champions League next season.
The 25-year-old is contracted at the Stadio San Paolo until 2015 and is valued at £30m.
Tottenham Consider Move for Unhinged Manchester City Striker Mario Balotelli White Hart Lane boss wants Eastlands youngster.
Real Madrid are watching Mario Balotelli’s situation at Manchester City.
AC Milan remain favourites for the ex-Inter striker, who is expected to be dumped by City in the summer.
However, his former coach at Inter, Jose Mourinho, is also watching developments, according to Milan sources.
Tottenham are also being linked with the Italy international, though those close to Balotelli say if he is to leave City, it will be to return home to Milan.
Is Harry Redknapp’s love of playing the transfer game really likely to stretch as far as to make a move for troubled Italian Mario Balotelli? Tottenham’s current quartet of strikers have struggled badly to find the back of the net in Premier League action this term. Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe have netted just 11 Premier League goals between them this term and as a result the White Hart Lane boss is reportedly frantically searching for new additions.
Recent comments from Roberto Mancini suggest that he too has ran out of patience with the 20 year old former Inter Milan man and interest from Real Madrid would be surprising as Jose Mourinho would surely no better than most just what a disturbing influence Balotelli can be in the dressing room.
Even a move to AC Milan would make little sense given the myriad of striking options available to San Siro boss Massimiliano Allegri.
Video: Hart & Lescott Talk About EnglandEngland and Manchester City pair Joe Hart and Joleon Lescott took time out on Thursday afternoon to sit down with FATV for an exclusive chat about Saturday's Euro qualifier with Wales in Cardiff.
http://www.manchestercity.vitalfootball ... p?a=236321WAG OF THE DAY
OTHER BOLLOXMancityfans.net posters were in uproar today as they were bereft of their daily dose of bollox due to it's compiler being on some swanky loony photoshoot that should appear soon in some well known 'lads' magazine. A Chinners spokesperson said "It was a fantastic day but unfortunately in doing the shoot Chinners neglected his proper dayjob in regurgitating other people's media shite for the well known football forum for which he apologises profusely"
Liverpool are set to go head to head with Manchester United for Aston Villa winger Ashley Young. The 25-year-old tops a list of summer targets for the the Merseysiders that also includes Wolves wideman Matt Jarvis, Bolton defender Gary Cahill and Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam. the Times (requires subscription)
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti wants £60m-rated Palermo playmaker Javier Pastore to provide the ammunition for misfiring Fernando Torres but hopes to land him for £30m. Daily Mirror
Arsenal and Bayern Munich are leading the way in the chase for Bolton defender Gary Cahill after sending representatives to watch him in action against Manchester United at the weekend. Bolton are tracking Real Mallorca's Ivan Ramis as a possible replacement. Daily Mail
Juventus have Liverpool and England's Glen Johnson and Chelsea's Jose Bosingwa on their list of right-back targets for next season. Daily Mirror
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is understood to have approached French club Lille about the possibility of securing both Moussa Sow and Gervinho on a deal that would result in the pair spearheading a £40m-rated Magpies attack next season. Metro
AC Milan centre-back Thiago Silva has suggested he may be open to a summer move to Manchester United. Caught Offside
Five teenage Brazilians - Gladstony, Aguilar, Lucas Evangelista, Agnaldo and Rafael Leao - from Sao Paulo academy Desportivo Brasil were guests of Manchester United at the club's recent match against Bolton. The quintet are set to link up with Dutch side Twente before switching to Old Trafford as part of United's plan to develop their own South American talent. Daily Mail
Scouts representing Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham will watch Ipswich striker Connor Wickham on England Under-21 duty against Denmark on Thursday night. Daily Mirror
Arsenal have agreed a £220,000 deal to sign 15-year-old centre-back Leander Siemann from German side Hertha Berlin, according to reports in Germany. Daily Mirror
Charlton's teenage left-back Carl Jenkinson has rejected the offer of a new contract and could be poised for a dream summer move to Arsenal. Daily Mail
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard will be dropped by England coach Fabio Capello for Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales after more than seven years as an automatic selection. Daily Mirror
Real Madrid's former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says that his next job will definitely be back in England. talkSPORT
Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has admitted it would be "a dream" to return to Anfield. The Spaniard was sacked by Inter Milan in December. Sky Sports
Liverpool's £50m sale of striker Fernando Torres to Chelsea lifted a cloud over Anfield, according to the club's newly appointed director of football Damien Comolli. the Sun
Everton striker Louis Saha has admitted that it is "going to be difficult" for him to play again this season after suffering an ankle injury against Fulham on Saturday. L'Equipe (in French)
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand could yet return for the closing stages of the season. The 32-year-old is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a calf injury after visiting leading specialist Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt in Germany this week. the Guardian
England under-21 manager Stuart Pearce is to risk the wrath of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish by calling up Gunners midfielder Jack Wilshere and Reds striker Andy Carroll for the Under-21 European Championship this summer. the Sun
The Professional Footballers' Association and the Football Association have launched an investigation into footage posted online that appears to show Port Vale defender Exodus Geohaghon being racially abused by his own fans. Daily Mail
A new £50m television rights deal, set to run for four years from 2014, will be used by Scotland coach Craig Levein to restructure Scottish football from top to bottom. (Daily Record)
Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne will perform a tell-all stage show to help him get over his troubles, teaming up with fellow ex-international Jimmy Greaves for the no-holds-barred performance in Bournemouth called the Gazza and Greavsie Show, which will include jokes, anecdotes and questions from the crowd. Daily Mirror
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will meet with BBC director general Mark Thompson to discuss his refusal to speak to the broadcaster for the past six years. Ferguson's decision not to give interviews to the corporation followed a documentary that made allegations about his football agent son Jason. Daily Mail
The Football Association has admitted that it will be "very difficult" to prevent some England fans succeeding in their plans to bring inflatable sheep to the Millennium Stadium for Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales. the Sun
England manager Fabio Capello, criticised by some for his strict regime during England's unsuccessful 2010 World Cup campaign, refused to allow his players to play golf in the sun on Wednesday, instead instructing them to stay in their rooms at their hotel in Watford. the Independent
by craigmcfc » Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:07 pm 
