Next step is clear for Liam Delap as Man City youngster is linked with loan move
Liam Delap played a pivotal part in Manchester City's under-23 success but he is in need of regular first-team football.
Manchester City might still have a decision to make over whether academy star Liam Delap should be loaned out this season.
The 18-year-old was one of the stars of the under-23 title-winning team last season after scoring 27 goals in 24 games for the side.
His performances certainly alerted manager Pep Guardiola, who handed a senior debut to the son of former Stoke City defender Rory, appearing three times for the first team.
Back in April, the Catalan boss announced that Delap would be promoted to the senior team on a full-time basis for the 2021/22 season.
But it's no surprise that his efforts last season have caught the attention of several Championship clubs who are eyeing up a loan move.
Lancs Live have reported that Delap is on Preston North End's radar as they look to bolster their attacking options going into next season's EFL Championship campaign.
They're not the first club to have been linked with the talented youngster, with Derby, West Brom and Millwall also keeping tabs on the teenager.
After his exploits last season, the next step is clear for Delap, who is at an age where regular first-team football is a necessity for his development.
Delap has moved up the pecking order at Manchester City after the club's record goalscorer Sergio Aguero left in the summer, leaving Gabriel Jesus as the only first-team striker ahead of the youngster.
Man City issue statement after losing appeal over Premier League FFP investigation secrecy
The Court of Appeal decided that publication of a judge's decision over the reasons for turning down Manchester City's appeal was in the public interest.
Manchester City have issued a brief statement on the failure of their bid to keep secret some details of an ongoing Premier League investigation of potential financial fair play breaches.
The Blues had gone to the Court of Appeal after contesting a judge's decision that details of their fight against the league's disciplinary procedures, a decision taken despite the fact that the league itself supported their bid for confidentiality.
The league had backed City's appeal, after agreeing with the club early in the process that the whole matter should be dealt with in private, but a judge ruled that publishing the reasons for the verdict were in the public interest - and that decision has now been backed by the Court of Appeal.
City had initially gone to court over what they saw as a lack of impartiality over the make-up of the body appointed by the league to look into allegations made by German newspaper Der Spiegel , which were based on hacked email messages. It was the same information that led to a two-year Uefa ban, later overturned by the independent Court of Arbitration for Sport.
They also questioned whether the Premier League 's tribunal had the right to demand the handover of documents and other information pertaining to the case.
The Court of Appeal decision does not mean that details of the actual investigation, which has been ongoing since March 2018, can be published. For the time being, those are likely to remain between City and the league.
We're innocent until proven guilty - Guardiola on FFP rules
City's original contention was that the league did not have the jurisdiction, and was not sufficiently impartial, to be handed sensitive documents which the investigators believed were pertinent to their case.
It is not made plain in the court's decision whether the club has since acceded to requests for that information to be handed over, requests initially made in August 2019. The club and the Premier League are both still bound by their agreement to keep the investigation itself secret, so only aspects of it which ended up in civil court will be in the public domain. MuEN
MANCHESTER CITY OFFERED £21.5M PLAYER, BUT HE’S NOW IN TALKS TO MOVE ELSEWHERE BOLLOX
Bayern Munich have opened talks with Barcelona over a potential loan deal for Sergi Roberto, according to Goal, following claims Manchester City were offered the Spaniard.
Julian Nagelsmann is keen for the Bavarian powerhouse to strengthen his right-back options ahead of his first season in charge. Benjamin Pavard and Bouna Sarr were felt to have had underwhelming campaigns last term as Der FCB sealed another Bundesliga title.
Bayern also do not consider young up-and-comers Josip Stanisic and Chris Richards to be ready to challenge for a consistent first-team role. Instead, they will look to the loan market, having ruled out making any more permanent signings this summer.
Nagelsmann targeting Roberto could see Bayern go toe-to-toe with Manchester City for the Barcelona defender. Sport noted last month that Pep Guardiola’s side were the best-placed outfit to sign the versatile £176,000-per-week full-back.
But the pandemic has impacted Bayern financially and they spent much of their budget on RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano. Now, they have approached Barcelona and Roberto’s agent, via an intermediary, to sound out his availability for a loan transfer.
Barcelona have a good relationship with Bayern after Phillipe Coutinho spent the 2019/20 season in Bavaria. However, the La Liga outfit have no interest in loaning Roberto at present as his contract expires next year.
Barcelona have also repeatedly contacted Manchester City to discuss selling Roberto to Guardiola’s side, per Mundo Deportivo. While Marca report the Catalan outfit want €25m (£21.5m), otherwise will extend the right-back’s contract to protect his value.
MANCHESTER CITY CAN STILL SIGN ROBERTO DESPITE BAYERN APPROACHING BARCELONA
Manchester City can still sign Roberto this summer, despite Bayern Munich approaching Barcelona and his agent over a loan transfer. That’s because the German giants, who have won the last nine Bundesliga titles, would likely have to pay for a permanent deal.
But Nagelsmann and his new side only want a temporary move. Which is not what Barcelona will allow, without the deal carrying an obligation to buy. Otherwise, the La Liga giants would be accepting Roberto leaving for free, and would prefer to receive a fee.
Manchester City can afford to pay Barcelona what they want for Roberto, too. And in doing so, add depth at full-back and in central midfield for Guardiola.
Man City have confirmed their first signing of the window as Scott Carson joins the club on a permanent basis.
The goalkeeper had been at City for the past two seasons on loan from Derby County.
However, with Carson becoming a free agent this summer, the Premier League champions have now added the veteran shot-stopper permanently on a one-year contract.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Carson said about the transfer: “It’s a pleasure and a privilege to be part of the setup here at City,”
“To be around Pep and his backroom staff is fantastic and I feel I have learnt so much since I joined in 2019.”
The 35-year-old added: “To commit for another year was such an easy decision. I want to continue pushing the other goalkeepers we have here and I want to make sure my experience rubs off on them.”
Indeed, Carson made just one appearance last season in City’s 4-3 win over Newcastle United. However, supporters have grown attached to the veteran keeper over the past two seasons. And fans were delighted that the former Derby star had joined the club on a full-time basis with some getting giddy early and proclaiming on Twitter that we will win the lot.
Man City have donated 26 automated external defibrillators to community clubs
One of the key aspects in identifying which grassroots football teams would benefit from Manchester City's recent defibrillator donation came down to distance.
Not from the Etihad Stadium, even though the 26 AEDs (automated external defibrillator) provided were earmarked for the local community, but rather how close the life-saving equipment was to each team.
There has been a 50-metre guideline in place, whereby clubs who have access to defibrillators within that range — be it from a local supermarket over the road or a health centre — have not been seen as a priority in receiving one.
That was at the forefront of minds when City worked with the Manchester County Football Association to finalise the distribution list, with the likes of Collyhurst Youth — situated in the area where Brian Kidd was born — among those to have gratefully accepted the donation.
Having a defibrillator within 50m had represented progress in recent years, but such time-sensitive situations dictate that every grassroots team simply must possess the kit.
Running over the road to fetch the device is time wasted, time that should be spent diagnosing and treating potential cardiac arrests. Fast use of defibrillators can increase survival rates by up to 70 per cent. The new outdoor cabinets will be available for entire communities in emergency.
'A lot of grassroots clubs can't provide them,' said Alex Williams, City in the Community ambassador.
'What we thought was really important was to ensure that strategically they went to the most needy clubs. That's where Manchester County FA, who are based on the Etihad Campus, come in. We've worked very closely with them.
'They support those clubs for a level playing field. Now, if anything happens, we've played our part to ensure safety of young boys and girls.'
Williams is a former City goalkeeper, hailing from Moss Side. He was an employee at the club when loanee Marc-Vivien Foe died on the pitch of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy while playing for Cameroon in 2003. City retired Foe's No 23.
The recent announcement that they would be donating the apparatus came close to the 18th anniversary of the popular midfielder's death.
The Premier League champions had been working on this initiative with local authorities for some time but the events in Copenhagen during the European Championship have brought the issue back into the public conscience.
The AED, giving a high-energy electric shock to the heart, contributed in saving Christian Eriksen's life. The same can be said for Bolton's Fabrice Muamba during a game at Tottenham Hotspur in 2012. Sales of defibrillators soared in the days after Eriksen's incident.
'Marc was a real shock,' Williams said. 'He was one of the fittest footballers at the club and that made the shock even worse. It was a stark reminder that this could happen to anybody, anywhere.
'The more we can do as a club to support the FA and counties then the player has the best opportunity of surviving. Time is of the essence when somebody does go down.
'There's no better way we as a Premier League club and a big foundation can support grassroots. Health and safety is the main thing.
'We've had a couple of incidents recently where not just professionals but young kids can have heart issues on a football field. By ensuring we get these defibs out, the clubs do have an opportunity to address a situation there and then.'
City pride themselves on their community work. '(Goalkeeper) Karen Bardsley sits on the Manchester County FA board. I sit on the equality and diversity group, so any issues around diversity and inclusion is addressed,' Williams added.
'At the end of the season we distribute kits to schools, grassroots teams and youth clubs. It's important for us because the grassroots are the feeders for our academy, both boys and girls.
'We supply young junior coaches, train them up in level one qualifications so they can go out and coach. We provide referees and qualifications through a young careers project. A lot of the young people we're working with will go on and have a role within the game.'
OTHER BOLLOX
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is a target for Paris St-Germain this summer and the Ligue 1 side are seeking to sell players to raise the £50m they believe will secure a deal. (Mirror)
United are yet to be contacted by PSG over a possible move for 28-year-old France international Pogba. (Manchester Evening News)
Real Madrid's France centre-back Raphael Varane, 28, is keen for a move to Manchester United to be completed within the next few days. (AS - in Spanish)
Barcelona are desperately trying to sell players in order to fund a new contract for Argentina forward Lionel Messi, 34, before the start of the season. (Guardian)
The agent of Juventus' Italian midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, 20 - subject of a potential swap deal for Sassuolo's 23-year-old Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli - has confirmed rivals Arsenal have tabled a £34m offer for the latter. (Sky Italy, via London Evening Standard)
Arsenal are willing to offer Leicester City a number of players - including 21-year-old English winger Reiss Nelson - as part of a deal to sign England midfielder James Maddison, 24. (Daily Mail)
The Gunners are stepping up their pursuit of Barcelona's Brazilian goalkeeper Neto, 31. (Mundo Deportivo, via The Sun)
Chelsea might make a bid of £135m for Borussia Dortmund and Norway striker Erling Braut Haaland, 20. (ESPN, via 90 min)
Tottenham are close to agreeing a deal with Sevilla for Spanish winger Bryan Gil which will see Argentine forward Erik Lamela move to the La Liga club. (Sky Sports)
Spurs will pay £21.6m for 20-year-old Gil, plus performance-related add-ons. (Guardian)
Manchester United are open to making two more major signings before the transfer window closes in six weeks' time, with Atletico Madrid and England full-back Kieran Trippier among their top targets. (Manchester Evening News)
United remain keen on signing Trippier, 30, despite Atletico Madrid demanding in excess of £18m. (TalkSport)
Juventus are considering a shock swap deal which would see Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 36, join PSG in return for their 28-year-old Argentina striker Mauro Icardi. (L'Equipe via Daily Star)
Juventus have set a £35m asking price for Turkish 21-year-old defender Merih Demiral, who has been linked with a move to Everton. (Goal)
Leeds United are favourites to sign Chelsea's English 18-year-old midfielder Lewis Bate. (Daily Mail)
Bayer Leverkusen's 25-year-old English winger Demarai Gray had a medical on Tuesday as he moves closer to signing for Everton. (Sky Sports)
Chelsea are looking at former Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, 29, as potential third-choice cover this coming season. (The Telegraph)
However, Aston Villa are also keen on English keeper Bettinelli as competition for Emiliano Martinez and Jed Steer. (Daily Mail)
Brentford are set to beat Aston Villa to the signing of 18-year-old English goalkeeper Matthew Cox from AFC Wimbledon. (Football Insider)
WAG OF THE DAY
More Bollox later . . .
