Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says he hopes the deal to bring Arsenal's Samir Nasri to the north west will be done "very quickly". The Italian says he does not know why there has been a delay to the proposed deal and suggests Nasri is not the only player the club is hoping to recruit before the transfer deadline.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14591521.stm
Yaya Toure says new-look Manchester City will be talked about all over the world
Yaya Toure believes the revamped Manchester City will soon demand respect throughout the world of football.
The Blues midfielder says the summer strengthening of the Blues – due to continue today with the signing of Samir Nasri – will help them become one of the best teams on the planet.
Yaya played a huge part in taking City to a new level last season, with winning goals in the FA Cup semi-final and final, and some powerful performances as they secured Champions League football.
But, after picking up Sergio Aguero, Gael Clichy and Stefan Savic with Nasri set to jon them for £25m, Yaya feels they can move on again.
“The team is looking in good shape – we have signed big players and they look fantastic in training,” said the big Ivorian.
“My ambition is to make people talk about Manchester City with respect, and that is why I am here.
“The manager and Garry Cook are doing fantastic and we will see in a few short years that Manchester City will become one of the best teams in the world. I am totally sure of that.”
But City are not just refining the quality of the first team, they are also drafting some of Europe’s top young talents into the Academy.
The Blues signed highly-rated Spanish youth international Denis Suarez in the summer, and he was taken on the tour of the USA and Canada.
And he caught Yaya’s eye. He said: “It is not easy to settle but he has David Silva and myself speaking Spanish and we are all trying to help him.
“It is very good for the future of the club to have such talented young players – they make the club stronger.
“Denis is a midfield player with very good quality. He is an amazing player and has the ability to take the ball, like all Spanish players.”
The Blues have four triallists from around Europe working with the elite development squad at the moment.
Top of that list is Croatia under-17 striker Ivan Dzoni, who scored against Oldham reserves on Wednesady, while 22-year-old Argentine midfielder Jose d’Angelo has also impressed.
The others are Benfica starlet Francisco Silva junior and former AC Milan striker Luca Scapuzzi.
SAMIR NASRI WANTED TO JOIN UNITED
SAMIR NASRI was last night closing in on a £22m move to Manchester City amid claims he wanted to join bitter rivals Manchester United instead!
The Arsenal ace was understood to be undergoing a medical in Manchester having agreed a five-year-deal at City worth £160,000 a week.
But reports in France have suggested Nasri was holding out for a move elsewhere, with United,
Barcelona and Real Madrid his preferred choices.
Sources in his homeland claim the striker told friends he wanted to join one of Europe’s giants, but chose City
when both Spanish clubs showed no interest and the Gunners refused to sell him to United.
The claims will cast doubts over Nasri’s motives for joining the billionaire big spenders as he gets set to become one of the highest-paid stars in the top fllight.
But this won’t bother boss Roberto Mancini, who has been hounding his bosses for weeks to push through a deal to
land the French star.
Nasri will more than double the wages he was earning at the Gunners and take Mancini’s summer spending
crashing through the £70m barrier.
His arrival will follow that of record £38m signing Sergio Aguero and confirm City’s status as genuine title contenders
this season.
Nasri’s departure from the Emirates will be the second major blow for Gunners boss Arsene Wenger this week
following the sale of Cesc Fabregas to Barca.
But he has been powerless to stop Nasri leaving after the player made it clear he would not sign a new deal.
Nasri will become the second Gunner to join City this summer following Gael Clichy’s decision to join Mancini’s
men in a £7m deal.
Provided the loose ends are tied up within the next 24 hours then Nasri could make his debut in Sunday’s clash at Bolton, where Aguero has been told to expect a hostile reception.
The new superstar will be hoping for a happier outcome than on his last visit to the Reebok with Atletico Madrid in 2008, when he was sent off just 12 minutes after going on as a substitute.
The Argentine striker was shown a straight red card for spitting at Matt Taylor in the UEFA Cup last 16 tie and was
banned for two games.
Trotters fans have vowed to abuse Aguero but he said: “I remember the incident. I was spitting in the direction
of the player but not to the player. However, the officials thought that and suspended me.
“I don’t know what the reception will be like, but as long as our fans welcome me, I’ll be happy.”
Aguero looks set to make his full debut following his stunning cameo against Swansea
on Monday night which included two goals and an assist.
But it remains to be seen if wantaway Carlos Tevez will be included in
Mancini’s squad. STAR
MANCHESTER CITY PUSH UP LOAN RATE
MANCHESTER CITY are finally making some progress on offloading their “frozen-out five” – and saving £2million a month in wages.
Manager Roberto Mancini made it clear many months ago that Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy, Roque Santa Cruz, Wayne Bridge and Nedum On uoha – all signed by his predecessor Mark Hughes – did not figure in his plans.
All five were loaned out last season but they have been back on City’s payroll over the summer and despite Mancini’s cold-shoulder treatment – he left them behind when the club went on a pre-season tour to the US and has forced them to train with the kids – they are still there.
City have trimmed their squad and wage bill this summer by selling Shay Given, Jerome Boateng, Jo , Felipe Caicedo and loaning Michael Johnson to Leicester for the season. But Mancini wants the group christened the “frozen-out five” moved on – and quick.
Roberto Mancini made it clear which players did not feature in his plans for Manchester City
Initially, City’s policy was not to loan them again and instead try to negotiate permanent transfers, with former Blackburn chief executive John Williams recruited specially to find them new clubs.
There has been no shortage of interest but potential buyers have been deterred by astronomical wages and City’s valuations. Now, with only a fortnight before the transfer window closes, the stalemate has been broken, with City apparently willing to do a U-turn on loans.
Certainly a loan deal for Adebayor – by far the highest earner of the quintet – is a sensible option, with no club willing to pay his £12m asking price.
Tottenham have agreed to pay the bulk of his £175,000-a-week wages as well as a £2m loan fee, so City will save themselves some cash. And the hope among the bean-counters at the Etihad Stadium is that if former Arsenal star Adebayor – who has two years remaining on his City contract – can have a good season at White Hart Lane, it will improve his transfer value.
Now deals for the other four could follow, with City acutely aware of UEFA’s financial fair play regulations, as well as realising that any money saved by sanctioning loans is better than none at all for players who will not make Mancini’s squad of 25 for domestic or European competition and will not kick a ball for the first team again.
Sunderland, Stoke, Everton and Celtic have all shown interest in Bellamy, who has a year left on his £90,000-a-week contract.
Bellamy, who spent last season with Cardiff because City did not want him to join a rival Premier League club, wants his contract paying up which will cost City about £4m as well as a free transfer – demands the club have resisted so far.
But as the clock ticks down towards the closure of the window a compromise is likely.
The same applies to Bridge, who is wanted by Newcastle as a replacement for Jose Enrique. He has two years remaining on a £90,000-a-week deal – which will earn him £9m if he sees it through.
Striker Santa Cruz has barely been fit since City bought him from Blackburn for £18m two years ago.
He hardly set Rovers alight when he returned to Ewood Park on loan last season.Championship teams Leeds and Leicester are both prepared to take a chance on Paraguay international Santa Cruz, but the bulk of his £80,000-a-week wages will have to be subsidised by City.
Even home-grown defender On uoha – who impressed last season at Sunderland – is on £35,000 a week and has three years on his contract. His agent Kia Joorabchian says Everton, Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn are interested.
Adebayor was on the brink of joining Tottenham in January before Real Madrid took him on loan. And he has not been put off by the hostility he faced from Spurs’ fans during their Champions League exit to Real last season.
“I felt sad over the abuse because, before joining Real Madrid, my first choice was Tottenham. I was supposed to sign for Tottenham before Madrid came in,” he said in a recent interview.
“I heard this song and I did not take it seriously because I know part of me is from London and Tottenham is part of London.
“I did not take it badly but it is bad because people have to realise that we are footballers.
“Today we play for one team, tomorrow we may end up playing for another. What if I am wearing a Tottenham shirt tomorrow?”
Tevez given Argentina axe
Alejandro Sabella has left Manchester City's Carlos Tevez out of the Argentina squad for a pair of friendlies in Asia next month.
Sabella, who has named one squad of domestic players for back-to-back friendlies against Brazil and one including overseas-based players for games against Venezuela and Nigeria, has overlooked Tevez but included his new City team-mate Sergio Aguero in the latter.
Tevez's club future is up in the air as his expected transfer from Eastlands has yet to transpire and his international prospects under Sabella are now in question.
Tevez was a favourite of Diego Maradona but enjoyed a more fractious relationship with the departed Sergio Batista and was only a late call-up to the Copa America squad.
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[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea are planning a £60m double swoop for Tottenham's Luka Modric and Valencia midfielder Juan Mata. Daily Mail
West Brom have held talks with Owen Hargreaves and are confident the former Manchester United player will pass a full medical if they can agree personal terms with him. The Guardian
Shakhtar Donetsk forward Willian has opened the door to a move to Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham - professing that he would love a move to England's capital. Metro
Blackburn are lining up a bid for 20-year-old Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury, who impressed while helping Norwich gain promotion from the Championship last season. talkSHIT
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has mocked QPR's £4m bid for Scott Parker, claiming it is the equivalent of the Hammers offering Manchester United £12m for Wayne Rooney. Daily Mirror
The Hammers are close to signing Gabon striker Eric Mouloungui from French side Nice, either for £1.5m or on a season-long loan. Daily Mirror
Fulham boss Martin Jol is looking to sign Ajax striker Mounir El Hamdaoui. talkSHIT
Blackburn have agreed a £6m fee for Hoffenheim striker Vedad Ibisevic and hope to seal a deal for Sporting Lisbon attacking midfielder Simon Vukcevic on Friday. Daily Mirror
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is attracting continued criticism after his shameless "eye-gouge" on Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova - and Real president Florentino Perez is reportedly losing patience with the former Chelsea boss. Daily Mail
But Mourinho is likely to escape official punishment for his actions as there was no mention of the incident in the referee's report. The Guardian
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has joined the growing list of people calling for the urgent release of the protected Hillsborough files. Daily Mail
And Dalglish's new signing Jose Enrique has admitted he is "worried" about the long-term ambitions of his old club, Newcastle United. Daily Express
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has reponded claiming Newcastle's squad will end up stronger than last season. Daily Mirror
Newcastle face Sunderland in the Tyne and Wear derby on Saturday and Sunderland boss Steve Bruce says he has no qualms about handing new signing John O'Shea his debut in the match. Sunderland Echo
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is set to make a quicker than expected return to fitness and could even feature against Spurs on Monday. The Sun
Manchester United striker Michael Owen's latest endeavour off the pitch isn't buying a new car or going on holiday - it is trying to complete a 1000-piece horse-inspired jigsaw puzzle. Owen posted a picture on his Twitter account, adding that he was about to embark on the "biggest challenge" of his life. Metro (cue Frosties, years 3-4 type gags etc)
http://www.mancityfans.net/mcfnet/viewt ... 19&t=39683
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An offer to blue rinse Wayne Rooney's hair implant? A Soccer Saturday job application? Gazza and a parrot? Ahead of Monday's release of his debut solo single, Noel Gallagher exclusively holds court with SKY
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,,11979_7111335,00.html
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