Bolton boss Owen Coyle is ready to move for Shaun Wright-Phillips after reeling from the news that Chung-Yong Lee faces a season on the sidelines.
Coyle will open talks with Manchester City for little SWP - either on loan or to buy - and hopes to persuade the England international to come in for stricken South Korean Lee.
Wright-Phillips played and scored for a City shadow side in Dublin but Roberto Mancini will not be using him in the big games this season and has cleared the way for his exit.
The popular City star is on big wages and that may be a problem to Wanderers, but he could take a sensible contract as he lives in the area and knows he will play every week.
Coyle has cash for two more attackers. However that was thrown into the air by Lee’s horror injury against Newport County which is a double fracture that will take around ten months out of his career.
Lee is in hospital in South Wales after an operation and he will be out of football for the campaign, a cruel blow following a crunching challenge by Tom Miller who was subbed after the incident.
Coyle visited Lee yesterday and is ‘gutted’ about the break for his highly-rated wide man who had been in prime form in pre-season games.
Now Bolton will move fast to fill the gap. New boy Chris Eagles can also play on the right wing, but Coyle does not want to run with a small squad again after a dip at the end of last season through lack of numbers.
Bolton are also chasing Liverpool striker David Ngog and could go for Birmingham City’s Cameron Jerome is his value dropped. Leicester City have raised the bar in that chase.
Fergie using City clash to run rule over new arrivals
Manchester United have vowed to treat next Sunday's Community Shield as part of their pre-season campaign despite the "tasty" nature of their clash with Manchester City.
It is less than four months since City overcame their old rivals in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, the penultimate stage in ending a 35-year trophy drought.
On the same day Roberto Mancini's men were completing that significant task, United secured their record 19th league title, ensuring the most significant warm-up for the Premier League campaign will be between the two Manchester giants for the first time since 1956.
It seemed certain the significance of the occasion would have some bearing on Alex Ferguson's tactics.
However, United assistant-manager Mike Phelan is adamant the match will be used for fitness, even if the stakes are rather higher than normal.
"It is no different," said Phelan. "It is a tasty one, of course, because it is the two Manchester clubs coming up against each other. But we may try out a few new things. We have a week to prepare. The FA Cup semi-final was disappointing. But this is a new season.
"We will have a look at a few new players to see if they can handle it and take us into the league. That is what it is all about. Manchester United is all about challenges. You get them every day. Next Sunday will be no different."
Celtic in provisional talks to sign Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy, confirms Neil Lennon
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has confirmed provisional talks are under way between the Scottish Premier League side and Manchester City over the possible sale of Craig Bellamy.
Lennon stated on Friday that he hoped to use the occasion of both clubs finding themselves in the Irish capital for the weekend to establish whether a deal for the Welsh international was possible and admitted after watching his side sweep aside an Airtricity XI 5-0 that informal discussions have been held.
“We will maybe know more on that in the week,” said the Celtic manager. “Talks have been going on in the background. I believe there have been conversations between the two clubs.”
At what stage those conversations stand remains unclear – Garry Cook, City’s chief executive, and Celtic’s majority shareholder Dermot Desmond played golf on Friday – but the financial gulf between the two sides is such that any transfer is likely to be difficult to accomplish.
Bellamy is not thought to be prepared to take a substantial cut from his £90,000-a-week wages at the Etihad Stadium, a sum Celtic simply could not hope to match.
City are not currently prepared to allow the player, who spent last season at Cardiff, to leave Manchester again on loan, believing that they will be able to recoup some of the £14 million fee they paid to bring him from West Ham in 2009.
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Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder has left the door open to his proposed move from Inter Milan by admitting that "there is always a chance something will happen" after it emerged that Manchester United have sounded him out over personal terms. the Guardian
Blackburn's Chris Samba is set to become a transfer target for Everton, if Toffees centre-back Phil Jagielka finally moves to Arsenal. Metro
West Ham are hopeful of bringing their former star Joe Cole back from Anfield to Upton Park - if Liverpool are prepared to continue to meet the majority of the out-of-favour 29-year-old midfielder's salary. Footie Online
Italian club Roma are pondering a move for Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh, who has fallen out of favour at Arsenal. Inside Futbol
Kaka has emerged as a contender to become Chelsea's new playmaker, after Real Madrid indicated that he may be made available for transfer. Metro
Former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson has warned Arsenal fans that the potential capture of winger Juan Mata from Valencia could spell the end of midfielder Samir Nasri's time at the club. talkSHIT
Manchester United have a plan for when Sir Alex Ferguson eventually stands down as manager, according to chief executive David Gill. the Guardian
Former France international Eric Cantona says his decision to leave Manchester United in 1997, and retire from football altogether, was like quitting a drug habit because of the "agonies of withdrawal". Metro
