At midday today the transfer window was exactly halfway through and with so few deals struck in the Premier League to date, yet again it looks like there will be last day madness
With 31 full days in the month, it is inexplicable why some deals have to wait until the early hours of the day after the window shuts to see if the last-minute transfers have been cleared by the FA - but brinkmanship is an art, so it will happen again.
The Blues were part of one of the most exciting windows ever as Robinho signed with minutes to spare in September 2008 but player purchases have been far more measured since.
It’s hard to see City letting anyone leave the club as things stand, with injury, suspension and the Africa Cup of Nations leaving the squad threadbare.
With that in mind, take Juventus’ £36m ‘double swoop’ for Aleks Kolarov and Edin Dzeko – as reported in the Daily Star on Sunday – with a large pinch of salt.
The same paper suggests that if a deal were to be done, it would release funds for City to buy Napoli’s Edison Cavani, but again, it all seems highly unlikely.
Staying with the Star, Paul Hetherington reports that Real Madrid youth star Jose Angel Pozo has joined the Blues’ Academy in a deal that could be worth £5m. It is reported the 15-year-old was brought to Manchester on the recommendation of Patrick Vieira.
Inevitably, the Carlos Tevez saga will have a massive bearing on any business done in the next few weeks and with still no sign of the Argentine joining either AC or Inter Milan anytime soon, expect negotiations to go to the wire.
The Sunday Mirror reports City boss Roberto Mancini is still keen to bring Daniele De Rossi to the Etihad Stadium as well as Stefan Savic’s international team-mate Stevan Jovetic from Fiorentina.
Finally, The Mail on Sunday link the Blues with another Serie A star and one that Mancini knows well from his days as Inter Milan boss.
They report: “Roberto Mancini is preparing to make his one and only January transfer splash by signing a player whose career he nurtured during the triumphant five years they were together at Inter Milan.
“The Manchester City manager has targeted Argentina defender Nicolas Burdisso, 30, who helped the team win three consecutive Serie A titles, which made Mancini Inter's most successful manager for 30 years.”
Juventus to rock Man City with £36M mega bid for Dzeko, Kolarov
Juventus are ready to launch a massive double raid on Manchester City for Edin Dzeko and Aleksander Kolarov.
The Daily Star Sunday says the Italian giants are ready to pay £22m for Bosnian striker Dzeko, 25, and £14m for Serbia’s left-back Kolarov, 26.
It’s role reversal for City, who are usually the ones with the big money chasing other clubs’ expensive players.
But Italian giants Juve are ready to pay £22m for Bosnia striker Dzeko, 25, who they wanted before he left Wolfsburg for Manchester.
And they are lining up a £14m offer for Serbia’s left-back Kolarov, 26.
Kolarov’s agent, Sergio Berti, has been in contact with representatives of the Turin club. The double deal is planned for the summer, rather than this month's transfer window. TB
Mancini frustrated City won't get him De Rossi
Roberto Mancini fears Manchester City’s title bid is being undermined by the club’s refusal to hand him more transfer cash.
The City boss is becoming increasingly frustrated after being told by the club’s hierarchy that the need to meet Financial Fair Play Regulations means he will be unable to address his concerns over a lack of squad depth in the transfer window.
Mancini has identified Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi as the perfect player to give City a lift as he looks to land the club’s first championship for 44 years.
But Sunday Mirror Sport understands that the City boss wants the resources to bring in a forward and defender as well as the versatile De Rossi.
The Italian has been monitoring Fiorentina’s attacker Stevan Jovetic, although the 22-year-old Montenegrin is rated in the £25million bracket.
The growing tensions between Mancini and his employers have been the talk of City’s Carrington training ground.
A City insider said: “Mancini is unhappy that the club are saying they can’t, or won’t, back him in the market this month.
“He understands that FFP is already having an impact, but he feels that after investing so many resources to get to the top of the league, the challenge could be undermined by the reluctance to bring in one or two more players.”
Mancini has been told that the club’s position is unlikely to change even if they are able to find buyers for Carlos Tevez, Wayne Bridge and Nedum Onuoha this month.
But that will not stop the Italian from going back with a warning that he must be allowed to spend again to keep City on course for the title.
The Blues remain top of the table ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Wigan, but they have suffered successive home defeats at the hands of Manchester United and Liverpool in the FA Cup and Carling Cup.
Mancini has been bankrolled to the tune of £230million over the past two years.
He has recouped less than £35million in player sales and the club have had to allow big-money signings like Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz to leave on loan to ease a growing wage bill.
City are also continuing to pay Tevez’s £197,000-a-week wages despite the Argentine’s continuing refusal to return to the club. Inter Milan have offered £25m, but Tevez would prefer to join AC Milan.
Milan have offered to take Tevez on loan and pay his wages in full, but that was not acceptable to City, who don’t want the Tevez problem to return at the end of the season. Talks are expected to resume again this week and Mancini hopes any deal will once again loosen the purse strings at the Etihad.
All eyes on Mancini after Cup defeats turn up heat
It's only 10 days since Roberto Mancini described so presciently why the next five months would grant Manchester United the easier ride. "They have won trophies for many years so they are quiet," he said. "They understand that they can play without pressure. For us it's different."
Even he didn't foresee the events of a mere week demonstrating his point, though Manchester City's FA and Carling Cup defeats in that time have undoubtedly transferred all the sound and fury across town. City had not lost two successive home games since February 2008 before United and Liverpool departed as conquistadors and now a fixture which might have seemed like a release mechanism – at Wigan Athletic tomorrow night – brings a pressure to demonstrate that those results do not belong to a more significant malaise.
When the Italian's assistant, David Platt, says he expects the world see a different Mancini from tomorrow night, he is not expecting a change in demeanour. He means that the cameras will hunt out signs of stress. "There will be more views of him on the bench during a game," Platt said. "People will look at him and be able to comment on a visual of him on the bench, depending how the result is going."
If those lenses discern negative emotion then the English game will finally see the real Mancini. "He gets angry," Platt explained. "I've seen him get angry when we're winning 3-0 at a misplaced pass, the fact somebody has a shot when there is somebody in a better position. He will put it away. The speed at which he puts things away is for the benefit of the next game. But the perception [of Mancini] will change from now."
How much of the pressure City's superficially serene manager can take is one of the most intriguing unknowns at the top of the English club game. Remember, he quit the Internazionale job in the Anfield press room, after a defeat in 2008 – albeit with boardroom machinations whirring in the background. Platt insists the idea of Mancini relinquishing this challenge is unthinkable. "His idea is not to win. It is to continue to win year-on-year, year-on-year. I know for a fact one of the things that floats his boat is the ability to come and change a club from not winning to winning – not just once but to have a behaviour of winning. He was involved very deeply with Sampdoria [for 15 years] and he had suitors left, right and centre to go to bigger clubs – the Inters, Juventuses etc, when he was playing. But he enjoyed the factof building something; of changing behaviour, changing the pattern. I don't think he's a typical Italian manager where people coach two years here, two years there. He didn't leave Inter. They got rid of him."
It is United's mental aspect which, Mancini also insisted a week ago, keeps them "two years" ahead of City. Now – with David Silva restored to the ranks at Wigan – comes the time to reveal that he can match them psychologically, even if his side cannot yet. "I've known him since he was 26, 27," Platt said. "I don't look at it and think to myself that this is somebody who will lose his head at all. Unfortunately we can't do anything about [events]. If we think we can stop what gets written year on year about title runs-ins we're sadly mistaken.So we might as well accept it's going to happen and focus on the games and continue to do what we've already done. That's what he will do."
MCF.NET PLATT THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=41524
Mario Balotelli to enjoy DJ lessons from Tim Westwood
Mario Balotelli has set his eyes on becoming a skilled DJ, following a meeting with The Big Dawg – Tim Westwood.
Mario Balotelli and Tim Westwood - together at last
The pair spent some time together at an event in Manchester on Thursday where the madcap Manchester City striker outlined his ambition to control the decks.
He is said to be a huge fan of club music and has come to an agreement with Westwood about a series of lessons from the best in the business.
'Mario was talking to Tim for ages. He loves his music and was asking about equipment. They are going to meet for a session,' a source told the Sun.
The duo crossed paths when they both attended the pre-launch party for the new PlayStation Vita and the subject of conversation immediately turned to Westwood's profession.
Balotelli has confirmed he will invest in the very best decks on the market ahead of the lesson, in which he hopes to learn how to play his favourite tunes – described as 'club bangers' and 'party jamz'.
It means neighbours of the exuberant Italian striker, who famously set fire to his own home after launching fireworks from a bedroom window, have once again seen their dreams of a spot of peace and quiet dashed.
TEVEZ BOLLOX LINKS
BIG-SPENDING Paris Saint-Germain could come to Carlos Tevez’s rescue after the Argentinian ace appeared to have lost out on his Italian job.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/295 ... rlos-Tevez
AC MILAN have not abandoned their bid to capture Manchester City rebel Carlos Tevez before the transfer window closes.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/vie ... los-Tevez/
Paris Saint-Germain's Carlo Ancelotti hints at move for Manchester City's Carlos Tevez: 'He is a player I really like'
http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer ... t-move-for
Carlos Tevez could play for Manchester City again, according to assistant manager David Platt, after the want-away striker's proposed transfer to AC Milan collapsed on Thursday.
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=190861
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]Are the first signs of regret creeping into this ex-Gunner’s demeanour?
Well we all saw it didn’t we. I was happily, yet casually, watching the Arsenal vs Leeds game when who should appear on my TV, none other than Judas himself Samir Nasri , who was spotted in the stands at the Emirates on the night of Thierry Henry ’s sensational return.
However, the Manchester City midfielder wasn’t wearing his trademark cheeky grin. Instead, the Frenchman sat uncomfortably in his seat, and it even appeared that those around him didn’t want to be associated with him, but there he was. Straightaway it got me thinking, does he regrets leaving the club that shot him to fame? And I think if he was to be asked this particular question and answered honestly, I think he would admit that he made a mistake in leaving.
Nasri once had his own song at Arsenal. We cheered him and respected him for what he did and gave to the team. This time last season he was in amazing form and arguably one of the best in the Premier League. But then his head was turned. He got greedy and claimed he wanted ‘success’, but we all know what he left for, the lure of Manchester City’s cold hard cash, promises of Champions League glory and the chance to become a huge star with a bigger wallet.
I was looking into stats so since he joined Man City and saw that he has only played the full 90 minutes on 5 occasions out of 20 starts, has been replaced by a team-mate 13 times, brought on as a sub 5 times, and has actually been an unused substitute on 3 occasions – shocking, especially when compared to Arsenal stats.
Nobody will be surprised by Nasri’s poor form this season and cameo style appearances. With David Silva playing well, Nasri simply doesn’t have the draw that you would expect from a player who cost £24 million. Was it good business on Arsenal’s part? Absolutely!
Man City fans are already starting to question the purchase of Nasri. We all know they are a fickle bunch, but people questioning the club’s decision to buy him isn’t going to help his cause, and soon enough he will end up on the transfer listed paper.
There is no question in my mind that Nasri deserves everything that he has got this season, which so far is nothing. He has gone from being a great player to simply a joke, and if reports are to be believed that he was seen walking round Emirates after the match on Monday, then he may well be regretting his departure from our club.
You did have a chance to get half the response that Thierry Henry got Samir. You had that chance to be forever loved by the Arsenal fans, maybe even one day to be referred to as a legend, but in that one move to Man City, with the money and your comments about the Emirates and Arsenal fans, you blew it mate. You maybe regretting your Emirates exit, but don’t expect any sympathy from myself or any Arsenal fan for that matter.
Should there come a time when you leave Man City, do not think for a second it would be an easy trip back to London to rejoin ‘the Arsenal’, the fans have moved on and, if ever you did comeback, you’d have to prove yourself all over again and apologise to every single Arsenal fan for your ridiculous words against the club. Thisisfutbolbollox
OTHER BOLLOX
Tottenham are targeting moves for £20m-rated Marseille striker Loic Remy and Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul. Mail on Sunday
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted an interest in signing 18-year-old Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrison. Sunday Mirror
However, European champions Barcelona are also considering a move for Morrison. Daily Star Sunday
QPR manager Mark Hughes wants to sign 20-year-old Brazilian striker Henrique, who won the golden shoe at last summer's under-20 World Cup, on an initial loan from Sao Paulo before a £5m transfer in the summer. the Guardian
Salomon Kalou has emerged as a transfer target for Everton after Arsenal decided against making a bid for the Chelsea striker. Metro
Anderlecht striker Matias Suarez has snubbed a move to Arsenal, instead deciding to finish the season with the Belgian club. the Sun
Tottenham have renewed their interest in signing goalkeeper Javi Jimenez on loan from Spanish club Real Murcia. The 24-year-old was also a target last season while at Real Valladolid but he opted to stay in his homeland. the Sun
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is refusing to step into the mid-season transfer market to solve Arsenal's injury crisis because, he says, players signed in January are self-serving and not committed to the cause. Mail on Sunday
Midfielder Rory Delap, 35, looks set to be offered another 12-month contract extension by Stoke to take him to nearly 38 years of age. Stoke Sentinel
Colin Hendry, a Premier League title winner with Blackburn Rovers in 1995, believes manager Steve Kean must get help from the club's owners Venky's if he is to save them from relegation. talkShit
Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has written to the club's 20,000 season-ticket holders to give a forthright assessment of his time at Villa Park so far. He says the team's progress has been "satisfactory - can do better" and wants Villa to play "dynamic, exciting football". Birmingham Mail
Newcastle defender Mike Williamson feels the team have defied critics who predicted their decline following the departures of "big names" such as Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton, Jose Enrique and Andy Carroll. Newcastle Chronicle
Liverpool legend John Barnes believes midfielder Steven Gerrard is second only to Kenny Dalglish as the club's greatest player of all time. talkShit
More bollox later ....
