Manchester United Linked With Shock Move for Manchester City Defender
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is interested in signing disaffected Manchester City defender Micah Richards this summer. The Old Trafford boss knows that the chances of persuading their neighbours to sell them one of their players are slim but he may hope that the player himself will push for a move to the Premier League table toppers.
Ferguson is looking to freshen up his squad as a number of his ageing stars near the end of their careers and other under performing members look like being offloaded in the summer. The adaptable 22 year old City man has been frustrated by his lack of first team opportunities and would surely be tempted by a move to Man United.
Micah Richards has managed just 12 Premier League starts this season and the England international is apparently unhappy at not being a first team regular and that could lead to the Birmingham born youngster asking to leave Eastlands.
With Gary Neville retiring from the game and neither John O’Shea or Rafael being out and out first choice right backs there could well be space for Richards to shine in the Man United back four. He is also very effective in a central defensive role and it this versatility that may attract Ferguson.
Central defensive options at Man United may have improved with the mature displays shown by Chris Smalling impressing many, however the continued injury concerns over Rio Ferdinand and the drop in form shown by Jonny Evans may leave Ferguson looking for further strength in depth.
Micah Richards was reportedly a target for Ferguson a couple of seasons back and it appears the defender is back on his radar. The Man City man is now sixth season in the first team and has amassed an impressive total of 150+ senior appearances in the process.
Manchester City target Dani Alves or Gregory van der Wiel for summer defensive swoop
City will move for Ajax defender if Alves signs new contract with Barcelona
Manchester City are targeting Barcelona’s Dani Alves or Ajax’s Gregory van der Wiel to be their marquee defensive summer signing, Goal.com UK can reveal.
City have enquired about both players in recent months and will continue to monitor them closely with a view to a swoop in the summer.
It is understood that Alves is City’s first choice as Roberto Mancini aims to bring greater dynamism to his team’s right flank.
The Barcelona full-back, who effectively doubles up as a winger for the La Liga champions, is in talks with his club about an extension beyond his current deal, which ends in 2012, but has not yet reached an agreement.
City are waiting to pounce if talks break down and are confident that Alves can be signed for as little as £20m in the next window, half what Barca valued him at last summer.
However, if Alves commits himself to the Nou Camp, then Mancini will turn his attention to Van der Wiel, who reportedly has a fixed price of £17m written into his Ajax contract, which runs until 2013.
City informally spoke to Ajax in January about Van der Wiel but the Dutch club were not interested in selling both their right-back and Luis Suarez, who joined Liverpool, in the middle of the season.
As part of the transfer triangle involving the three clubs, Barca have lined up Van der Wiel as Alves’ replacement should the Brazilian leave the Catalan club.
Alves and his representatives believe his salary should be in line with those of his fellow established first-teamers, many of whom have been handed improved contracts over the last year.
Barca’s policy is to stagger the salaries of their playing squad, with the strikers and attacking midfielders better paid than their more defensive colleagues.
“Dani is one of the best defenders in the world and the big clubs desire his services,” said the agent Joaquin Macanas recently. “We only ask that Barca value him in reality for his work and development during these years.”
City want to re-organise their defence in the summer, with a new attacking right-back the priority, and the coaching staff are considering re-positioning Jerome Boateng into the centre of defence.
City are willing to listen to offers for Micah Richards but have put a £15m price-tag on the England international, whose former club Oldham will receive 20 per cent of any potential transfer after he switched academies as a teenager.
Hughes lifts lid on City sacking
Mark Hughes has lifted the lid on his shambolic sacking by Manchester City, revealing he was among the last to be told he had lost his job.
It was widely assumed Hughes knew of his fate before the end of what proved to be his last match in charge 14 months ago.
Reports of Roberto Mancini's appointment as his successor emerged at half-time of City's 4-3 Premier League victory against Sunderland, while Hughes even saluted the four corners of Eastlands as he left the field after the game.
But he insists he was simply "covering all eventualities" in response to the fevered speculation over his position and had no idea at that point he had already been given the boot.
Hughes revealed he was only made aware of events 15 minutes after the final whistle, giving further ammunition to those who believe City bungled the entire affair.
"I had a fair idea that something was afoot and something was likely to happen, but I didn't actually know at the end of the game," Hughes said.
"I waved to the crowd and everybody assumed I knew, but I didn't.
"Maybe I was just covering all eventualities and was proved right in the end.
"I found out about a quarter of an hour later."
Hughes continues to maintain he feels no lingering bitterness over his controversial departure.
But as he prepares for his first visit to the City of Manchester Stadium since that fateful night - he takes Fulham to his former club on Sunday - he admits there will be no handshakes with those who plotted his downfall.
Hughes still has plenty of friends at the club, who he plans to greet, but asked if he would avoid the boardroom while there, he replied: "You'd be correct.
"I'm there to do a job and I'd love to come away from there having seen my team play exceptionally well and win the game.
"I don't think I have anything to prove, to be perfectly honest, because I think everybody there understood that I was taking the club in the right direction, the direction it need to be.
"But they wanted to get there quicker, and with a different profile, and maybe that's the reason I lost my job."
The manner of Hughes' departure means one of those most interesting aspects of Sunday's game will be the reception he receives from the home supporters.
"Many Man City fans have come up to me since I left and said they were disappointed with the way I was taken out of the club, and that I was hard done by," Hughes said.
"I think the vast majority of them felt that way and I appreciated the fact that some have taken the time to say that to me."
City was Hughes' first big job in club management and despite being stung by the experience, he has not been deterred in his quest to coach at the highest level.
"In terms being in charge of a big club, I know I can do the job because I have experienced it," said Hughes, who is among the favourites to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and was also recently linked with Chelsea amid speculation over Carlo Ancelotti's future.
"Irrespective of the circumstances that surrounded my eventual departure, I knew that the things we had put in place and the plan we had would bring success there.
"So it doesn't faze me whatsoever. I understand what it takes to manage a big club and it doesn't faze me at all."
OTHER BOLLOX
A dressing room bust-up with Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp could see Spurs full-back Alan Hutton leave White Hart Lane. Metro
Under-pressure Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has dismissed rumours that he would swap striker Didier Drogba for Real Madrid playmaker Kaka. Sunday Mirror
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has told Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal that left-back Emilio Izaguirre and midfielder Beram Kayal are not for sale. Mail on Sunday
Roman Abramovich is ready to dump John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba as he continues his Stamford Bridge revolution. Sunday Mirror
Arsenal are plotting a £20million summer raid for wantaway Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, who is desperate for Champions League football. Daily Star Sunday
Former Hull and Charlton boss Phil Parkinson is the running for the vacant Bradford City job. The shortlist also contains former Bradford players Peter Jackson and Dean Windass. Sunday Mirror
Didier Drogba has warned he will quit Chelsea if he is dropped again for Tuesday's Premier League clash with Manchester United. Mail on Sunday
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is still having trouble persuading Paul Scholes to sign as a player for next season because he wants to play every game. Mail on Sunday
Record £35million striker Andy Carroll has been ordererd to lose weight before he can make his long-awaited debut for Liverpool. Sunday Express
Kenny Dalglish will be handed a two-year contract to become Liverpool's permanent boss, and the deal could be done before his 60th birthday on Friday. Sunday Mirror
West Ham's New Zealand international Winston Reid has pledged to auction off his World Cup keepsakes in order to raise money for victims of the Christchurch earthquake. Sunday Telegraph
Rangers boss Walter Smith says Scottish football is too repetitive. As he prepares to leave Ibrox, the 63-year-old says he is sick of visiting the same grounds all the time. Sunday Telegraph
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