ROBERTO MANCINI has declared he would be happy to stay at Manchester City for another four years.
The Italian's position as boss at the Etihad has never been stronger with the club backing his hardline stance over Carlos Tevez.
Mancini ended their 35-year wait for a trophy by lifting the FA Cup last season, has guided City to the top of the Premier League and leads his troops into Champions League action against Villarreal tonight.
Mancini's current deal expires at the end of next season and he would be happy to open discussions on a new one.
He said: "I started to work here two years ago and I have worked hard to create a good team.
"I would like to stay another three or four years because Manchester City is one of the best teams in the world.
"I would like to stay here for many years."
Clubs back in Italy are likely to be watching his progress in England but Mancini only plans to return home for holidays.
He added: "My feeling is good. I would like to stay here but in football it can change if you lose two or three games.
"We are working well though and my gut feeling is good.
"After May I will go home but not permanently" Sun
Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger pours scorn on Samir Nasri and admits half his team wanted out in summer
Arsène Wenger has suggested that Samir Nasri’s motive for joining Manchester City was financial rather than sporting and bluntly admitted that half his team wanted to leave Arsenal this summer.
In an interview last night with the French radio station RTL, Wenger also said that lesser clubs would have crumbled during what he described as the most “agitated” transfer window he has ever known.
“Half the team in the dressing room wanted to leave,” said Wenger.
“You’re preparing for a season where you don’t know who’s going to come in, the players who are staying are asking themselves what’s going on at the club. It was extraordinarily difficult. What saved us is that we’re a club that are extremely solid and united. Other clubs would surely have broken up in those circumstances.”
Arsenal eventually allowed Cesc Fabregas to join Barcelona, but sold both Nasri and Gael Clichy to Manchester City. Nicklas Bendtner, Emmanuel Eboué, Manuel Almunia, Denilson, Armand Traoré and Carlos Vela have also left either permanently or on loan.
Wenger denied that players wanted to leave so that they can win titles.
“The problem isn’t that,” he said. “Frankly, if you compare what Manchester City have won in the past and what Arsenal have won, then you don’t go to Manchester City to win titles. Players go to Manchester City because they pay much better than Arsenal.
“There’s always a financial logic behind who ends up being successful in any league. If Barcelona or Real Madrid paid three times less than Malaga, players would go to Malaga.
“When a player has the choice between two clubs who have the same ambitions, if he can earn three times as much at one club he’ll go there. That’s logical. It’s the law of the market.”
Of Robin Van Persie, whose contract expires in 2013, Wenger said: “He’s got a contract for another 18 months and he’s a man who is attached to our club. I’m not especially thinking about losing him.”
Wenger also insisted that Arsenal had turned a corner after Sunday’s win against Sunderland. “Results determine your future,” he said.
“If you lose 8-2 to Manchester United, you can’t call yourself the best. It’s not that I consider myself to be in danger. It’s just that I want people who love this club to be happy. You get the feeling you’ve failed them when an avalanche like that falls on your head. We’re under pressure because of where we are in the league, so my players can’t play freely.
“But we’ve qualified for the Champions League for 14 years, and 14 years where we haven’t recorded a (financial) loss. I think we’re on the up again.”
Arsenal face Marseilles in the Champions League tomorrow, with Aaron Ramsey expected to return after a slight hamstring injury but Kieran Gibbs doubtful with an inflamed stomach.
Tomas Rosicky, meanwhile, has defended his reaction to goals against Arsenal this season by Sebastian Larsson and Wayne Rooney, when he did not turn to watch whether their free kicks would be saved.
“I don’t have to turn around,” said Rosicky. “When I see his face and he is celebrating, why should I turn around?”
Boca express interest in signing Tevez
Tevez was at the Argentine club for seven years between 1997 and 2004 - making his professional debut in 2001 - before making what was, at the time, a surprise move to Brazil to play for Corinthians.
But with his future at City in some doubt the Buenos Aires club are interested in signing the controversial forward once again, after suffering a long-term injury to current striker Lucas Viatri.
"We'll make an attempt to get Carlos Tevez," Boca vice-president Jose Beraldi said. "I know it will be difficult, but we will try."
The club are unlikely to have the financial resources to sign Tevez on a permanent deal, with a loan the more likely option. However, the Argentine Football Association would have to change their rules to allow the club to sign a player from outside the country during the winter - making the prospect of a switch unlikely, even if it might appeal to the player.
Tevez is still awaiting a formal hearing with his current club to decide his future, as the investigation into "alleged breaches of contract" during City's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich goes on.
Boca are the third of Tevez's four former teams to show an interest in re-signing their former star, following Corinthians and West Ham's overtures.
Silva: This is our time
David Silva is convinced Manchester City will still make their mark in the Champions League despite making life difficult for themselves.
After collecting just one point from their opening two Group A games against Napoli and Bayern Munich, City are anxious to register their first victory as Villarreal visit the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.
With City top of the Premier League, their European results contrast with their domestic form but Silva sees that as an anomaly.
The Spaniard said: "We have got a lot of games under our belt in the league.
"In the Champions League we have only played two games and those two games were against top sides.
"Maybe it is a case of needing a few more games under our belt in that competition too in order to get the same consistency we have been showing in the league.
"We have made things a little bit hard for ourselves but we can start to improve tonight."
Villarreal have lost both their games in the competition and, after finishing fourth in Spain last season, are a lowly 13th in La Liga after a goalless draw at Getafe on Saturday.
Silva, however, knows plenty about the 'Yellow Submarine' from his time at their rivals Valencia and is reading little into their current form.
The 25-year-old, who scored in a 4-1 win over Villarreal in January 2010, said: "They are a great side.
"They like to keep hold of the ball, they like to pass it around and they can also hit you on the break.
"We have got to be careful and try to retain as much possession as we can and avoid being hit on the counter."
Silva, who has been in outstanding form this autumn, is set to return to the starting line-up after starting Saturday's 4-1 win over Aston Villa on the bench.
Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko were also kept in reserve by manager Roberto Mancini and are back in contention while Sergio Aguero has recovered from a groin injury and trained yesterday.
Mario Balotelli is again forced to miss out through suspension and Carlos Tevez, the subject of disciplinary proceedings, continues to train apart from the first-team squad and is highly unlikely to be recalled.
Mancini said: "If we beat Villarreal I think everything can change for us in the group.
"We must win this game but it is important we are strong enough. I don't think it will be easy."
[spoiler]Federica Ridolfi
[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
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