Mancini wants three new names
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini believes he needs to sign three new players regardless of whether Carlos Tevez stays or goes.
The Italian insists the Argentinian remains an important player for the club even as he tries to secure a move away from Eastlands.
The 27-year-old saw his hopes of returning to South America to be closer to his wife and two daughters dashed when Brazilian side Corinthians pulled out of a £40m move, citing the impossibility of concluding the deal before the closure of their transfer window.
And, as he looks to turn City into a side capable of winning the Barclays Premier League, Mancini, who has been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero, still feels his side needs strengthening.
“I think it is really difficult to buy any players because all the good teams want these players,” Mancini said on Sky Sports News.
“But I hope that before the game against (Manchester) United (in the Community Shield on August 7) we can have all these players.
“We have two, three targets but it depends.
“We need to improve because we are at the moment a few players (short) for competition and we need to have other players.”
For the time being at least, Mancini still has Tevez and the manager is adamant he is still welcome at the club.
“At the moment Carlos is still a City player, like yesterday, like three days ago,” the Italian said.
“In the future we will see what can happen. But for us Carlos is an important player.
“Carlos wants to leave, wants to come back to Argentina or maybe another country for his family. It is only because of this I think that the club accept to sell Carlos, because I think that we respect his reasons.”
Tevez, on holiday after Argentina were knocked out of the Copa America, is said not to be “overly worried” by the collapse of his move to Corinthians.
Reports in Italy have suggested the striker has already met with Inter Milan sporting director Marco Branca yesterday and his representative Kia Joorabchian is confident new bids will come in for the striker.
“This is Carlos Tevez we are talking about, one of the best players in the world. We are not overly worried,” Joorabchian told BBC Sport.
“He wants to leave but is still a City player at the moment and we will of course respect that.
“We’ve just got to wait and see who comes in next for him.”
Tevez situation is hard to call
Roberto Mancini says he can’t even get hold of Carlos Tevez to discuss the Manchester City striker’s future.
Currently on tour with the Blues in the US, Mancini has tried to reach Tevez - who is on holiday in Sardinia, where he has been pictured with Inter Milan technical director Marco Branca.
But the manager admitted he has been unable to contact his skipper.
And Mancini, who said the door was still open for Tevez to return to the club, added: “I have not spoken to Carlos yet - his telephone doesn’t work.
"At the moment, Carlos is still a City player, like he was three days ago. In the future, we’ll see what can happen. But he’s still an important player.
“Carlos wants to leave and go back to Argentina, for his family. The club agreed to sell him because of this. That’s the reason.”
A club spokesman confirmed they know about Tevez’s meeting with Branca. He said: “We have been made aware that Carlos Tevez appears to have been photographed with Marco Branca.”
Mancini said he has not made a decision over whether to strip Tevez of the captaincy after this second demand to leave.
“For the future, we’ll see who is captain,” he said. “I don’t think it’s important, there are three or four players who can do this.”
City are pushing ahead with plans to sign Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero.
Mancini said: “I’m here, and other people who work at the club are working on this.”
CARLOS TEVEZ is still expecting a stampede for his signature.
The wantaway Manchester City star saw a £40m move to Brazilian club Corinthians collapse on Wednesday.
But the stranded striker’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, reckons the world’s top clubs will be falling over themselves to give him an escape route from the Premier League.
Tevez is on holiday in Sardinia after Argentina were knocked out of the Copa America.
Joorabchian said: “This is Carlos Tevez we are talking about, one of the best players in the world. We are not overly worried. He wants to leave but is still a City player at the moment and we will of course respect that.
“We’ve just got to wait and see who comes in next for him.”
Tevez wants to quit Manchester to be near his wife and daughters.
He had appeared to be on the brink of a return to his former club Corinthians but Joorabchian said: “This deal was always going to be difficult because of the timing.
“In the end, this came down to small details, to haggling over a relatively small amount of money, and it couldn’t be done in time.
“To say Corinthians could not provide guarantees for the money is nonsense.
“Firstly, they are the biggest club in Brazil. Secondly, any club that makes an offer and cannot pay will get suspended by FIFA and have points deducted.”
Vieira: I understand Arsenal fans frustration
Former captain Patrick Vieira says he’s ‘gutted’ for former boss Arsene Wenger but understands why sections of the fanbase may have lost faith with the Frenchman.
On Manchester City’s US tour Vieira, who this week announced his retirement from the game, spoke fondly of the man who brought him to England from AC Milan’s reserves.
“I am gutted for him because I know how much hard work he has put into Arsenal and how he loves the club”, he said. “‘He arrives early and leaves late and spends more time on the training ground than he does with his family. But you can understand the frustration of the fans. They are used to winning and haven’t won anything for six years. For a big club like Arsenal it is difficult to go a season without winning a trophy”.
And Vieira believes the balance between good football and the physicality required for the Premier League is not right, saying “I honestly believe that the Arsenal team now are playing better then we ever did. The difference is we put silverware on the sideboard. That is what people remember, not how you play.
“Our team was more physical and responded better to the English game. Maybe now Arsenal lack the physical aspect. You need a balance to win trophies. If you look at United, Chelsea and City, the physical aspect of the game is there. The season is really long and hard and players get tired and perhaps need to work harder”.
Vieira, whose last kick as an Arsenal player was to score the penalty which won Arsenal’s last trophy, the 2005 FA Cup, will continue at Manchester City as a ‘development executive’. He has still to complete any of his coaching badges and perhaps in the future Arsenal fans will see him return home when the time is right.
You're kidding! £25m Adebayor trains with Manchester City's youth team
Manchester City misfit Emmanuel Adebayor was dealt a further humiliating blow on Thursday as he was forced to train with the club's youth team.
The former Arsenal striker, who was left out of the tour of North America, is in search of a new club after expressing his desire to leave Eastlands.
Adebayor is holding out for a permanent move to Real Madrid after spending the second half of last season on loan with the Spanish club.
However, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has also confirmed his interest in the Togo striker and is is hoping he can tie up a loan deal.
The White Hart Lane boss, on a pre-season tour in South Africa, said: 'The chairman, Daniel Levy, has been speaking about it, I am not sure if it will happen. He is a name that has certainly been mentioned.
'I spoke to the chairman about loaning the player and if we could work out a deal for him, I would like to bring him to the club.'
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney can't wait for Community Shield against City
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney cannot wait to launch the Red Devils' season in the Community Shield against local rivals Manchester City.
Thanks to United’s record 19th league title and the ending of City’s 35-year trophy drought in last term’s FA Cup final, the two Manchester clubs go head to head at Wembley on August 7 looking to establish some early superiority.
It already seems patently obvious City represent a clear danger to the Red Devils’ hopes of retaining their Premier League crown, which Rooney confirms is the number one priority this season.
But that cliched traditional curtain-raiser takes on added meaning purely because of the side United are going to face.
"When you play at a club like Manchester United, the goal is to win all the competitions," Rooney said.
"It is true our priority is to keep our Premier League title, but we won’t ignore any competition.
(there's more to this article but it's just him going on about the rags so I stopped copying it)
OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea will make one final bid of £35m for Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric. Footy Bunker
Pedro has become the latest Barcelona player to suggest that Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas should sign for Barcelona, claiming Barca's players are "looking forward to see if he joins the club". Footy Bunker
Luis Boa Morte, released by West Ham, could return to Southampton - 10 years after the winger left the club to join Fulham. Daily Mirror
Arsenal will have to pay around £18m if they want to bolster their defence by signing Everton centre-back Phil Jagielka. Metro
Manchester United are hoping to hijack AC Milan's deal for Brazil star Ganso with a late bid for the midfielder. talkSPORT
Liverpool are interested in £10m-rated Hamburg left-back Marcell Jansen and £18m-rated Porto defender Alvaro Pereira. Daily Mail
West Brom are in talks with Birmingham over a £1m loan deal for goalkeeper Ben Foster.Daily Mail
Stoke boss Tony Pulis is ready to spend £8m on bringing Juventus' ex-Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko back to the Premier League. The Sun
Chelsea are on the verge of signing Barcelona defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu. Independent
Premier League new boys Swansea, QPR and Norwich are all keen on American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, 39, who is a free agent after leaving Wolves. Daily Mirror
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is furious after being fined two weeks wages for outspoken comments confirming his desire to leave Southampton. Daily Mail
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is expected to get his wish of being left out of the party that departs for a training camp in Germany as he looks to force a move to Barcelona. Daily Mail
YES Legend and Blue, Rick Wakeman to hold Q&A with mancityfans.net
(Questions need to be submitted by 7pm today)
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more bollox later ...
