Adebayor & Santa Cruz on their way as Manchester City's much-needed summer clear-out begins
The Premier League champions look to cast off the deadwood before making acquisitions this summer, while bearing Uefa's Financial Fair Play regulations in mind too
Over the last four years, at least £13 million had been spent by this stage of the summer, as the likes of Gael Clichy, Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry and Jo moved to Manchester City, but, over a week into the transfer window, there is an air of refined logic surrounding the newly-crowned Premier League champions.
Sergio Aguero's winner in the 95th minute against QPR on the last day of the season has had further reaching effects than just sealing a maiden title. Like the dealer in a game of Texas Hold'em, it has given City the power to watch their rivals act first. As Manchester United play catch-up, moving for Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell, and Arsenal add fire-power in Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, the decision-makers at City are biding their time.
It has been a long time coming for a club that looked to have more money than sense at times. The crazed obsession with overhauling United's dominance of the domestic scene mutated from mere on-pitch duals to billboard jibes led by former Red Devil Carlos Tevez. It has been unrepentant and dogged, but City have reached the goal.
So what now? The old idiom says that if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. And only by looking at Roberto Mancini's transfer market moves can we really assess just how much mud has been thrown at his squad.
The club have sensibly decided to offload the deadwood in the squad before pressing ahead with reinforcements – surely with an eye on the incoming Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz are expected to be ushered out of the door following Wayne Bridge, Stuart Taylor and Owen Hargreaves to different climes.
The Togolese striker has spent the last two years on loan at Real Madrid and Tottenham, respectively, and as Harry Redknapp said at the end of the season: “They [City] don't want him. They don't want to see him ever again."
The club's relationship with Santa Cruz may not be as hostile but the logic remains: Mancini has the opportunity this summer to fine-tune his squad, to mould it into an efficient, title-winning behemoth.
It doesn't stop with the two strikers (though that is certainly more pressing) as players like Aleksander Kolarov and Stefan Savic will be wondering if their salaries make up for a lack of minutes on the pitch. This is the perennial dilemma squad players at the top clubs are subjected to; those in the bracket below 'world-class' - Nigel de Jong, Adam Johnson and James Milner - are all further examples. These concerns will in all likelihood be postponed for another year or two because, well, who doesn't like being part of a successful organisation and getting paid enormous amounts of cash?
For the time being, it is the excess fat that needs to be trimmed from the squad and that explains City's determination to sell Adebayor and Santa Cruz before moving for an additional goalscorer. Of course, with the news that Robin van Persie will not renew his contract at Arsenal, the inevitable link has been made between the Abu Dhabi group's billions and the Dutchman.
However, City are understood to be looking to stay within their budget and keep any acquisitions inside their £198k-a-week basic wage ceiling, something that will test Van Persie's assertion that he desires a move to win trophies.
Even the notion of having a wage ceiling seems oddly humorous after the reckless abandon City have shown the transfer market in recent years, but as football enters an era where clubs must show a form of austerity to operate, it makes sense.
There is little chance the club will curb spending as they incessantly press for the game's greatest prizes, but attempts to stay within the confines of FFP should restrict them to some degree. That is, until a decision is made on the £400m sponsorship deal with the Abu Dhabi state airline, Etihad. If the deal is deemed 'fair value' by Uefa (because it is from a 'related party'), City should be able to cover the expenses that seem certain to nudge them past the £36m loss the governing body set as its limit.
If that is the case, the club could sustain its brazen attitude to spending, but for now their market activity demands a slightly more structured approach.
It may take time for City to make a statement this summer, but you can be sure that with their newly acquired status of Premier League champions, every move will carry an assertiveness about it. From here, the mission is to retain their crown and make progress in Europe and if that means waiting for the dispensable squad members to leave before the latest star is unveiled, the club's supporters won't mind.
Start using your head, Manchester City team-mates tell Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli’s Manchester City team-mates have lifted the lid on life with the controversial Italian, while insisting that he can become one of the best players in the world.
Balotelli raised eyebrows in 2010 when he claimed Lionel Messi was his only superior.
But after helping Italy to the final of the European Championship, and ending the tournament with three goals, Pablo Zabaleta believes the 21-year-old isn’t far away from making good on his bold claim. Provided he learns to use his brain when he’s on the pitch.
“If you could connect his quality to his brain he’d be one of the best players, believe me,” said Zabaleta, in an interview on City’s review of the season DVD.
Balotelli scored 17 goals for City last season and came off the bench to create the chance for Sergio Aguero to score the winning goal against QPR on the final day of the season.
But his campaign was interrupted by three suspensions, for red cards against Liverpool and Arsenal and for a stamp on Scott Parker.
And Zabaleta believes the game against Tottenham in January, when Balotelli scored a last-minute winner from the penalty spot and was retrospectively banned for stamping on Parker, perfectly illustrates the very best and worst qualities of his team-mate.
“He could score the best goal in the history of football or he could get a red card five minutes after coming on to the pitch,” added Zabaleta. “You play football from your feet to your head but his brain is gone.”
Balotelli has had to fight for a place in Roberto Mancini’s team with Carlos Tevez, Aguero and Edin Dzeko while the other strikers on City’s books – Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz and John Guidetti – were sent out on loan.
Mancini will hope to offload Adebayor and Santa Cruz permanently this summer while Guidetti, still only 20, might yet be farmed out to get more first-team experience.
Balotelli has been linked with a move to Juventus, mainly by the Italian press, after starring for Italy at Euro 2012. And the speculation will only intensify if City firm up their interest in Robin van Persie, who this week told Arsenal he will not sign a new contract at the Emirates.
Van Persie has also been linked with a move to Juventus, winners of Serie A last season, but there are doubts about whether they have the money available to satisfy the Dutchman’s wage demands.
City remain the most obvious destination if Arsenal decide to sell him but his arrival would cast doubt over the futures of the club’s other forwards.
They have no desire to cash in on Aguero despite interest from Real Madrid, while Tevez has declared his intention to stay at the Etihad Stadium after a season of turmoil ended on a high.
Dzeko is yet to convince some City fans and seems the most likely casualty should Mancini decide that someone has to make way for Van Persie.
Talk of Balotelli leaving is never far away either, not least because of his sometimes questionable antics on and off the pitch. But far from being the divisive figure he is often painted as, Micah Richards insists he’s a valuable addition to a tight-knit dressing room
“You either love him or hate him don’t you? I love him,” said Richards. “People probably think he’s not a nice guy but he’s a really nice guy. I don’t agree with everything that he does but he’s a really good guy and a quality player, too.
“He scored some vital goals and some of the stuff he does in training you think, ‘how’s he done that’?”
The final word on Balotelli on the Champions DVD was left to Joleon Lescott.
“The one thing I will say about him, is that it’s not a show he puts on,” said Lescott. “That’s just what he’s like.”
After the story emminating yesterday that Mancini had been sounded out by Russia (see thread: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=43432 ) the Mail's Joe Bernstein
kindly fill in al the gaps that his 'expert' senses found missing in the original story ... zzzzz
Russians in £35m bid for Mancini!
World Cup hosts want City boss for national team Roberto Mancini has been offered £35million to manage World Cup hosts Russia as contract talks with Manchester City drag into another week.
Sources in Russia claimed on Saturday night that Mancini had agreed to take over the national team in a six-year deal that would see him in charge when they host the World Cup in 2018.
But City quickly rebuffed the story, insisting the Italian will join club players at their preseason training camp in Austria on Sunday and that negotiations over a new contract would be 'concluded' positively in the week.
Russia's desire to appoint a high-profile boss has led to an incredible tug-of-war over Mancini, who led city to their first league title since 1968 after a dramatic final day, and has just one year of his current deal remaining.
Russian sports website Sports.ru sensationally claimed Mancini would walk out next week after being given £6m a year by the Russian Football Federation.
However, City said on Saturday that they were confident their manager would re-sign for them after protracted discussions between lawyers on both sides for the past two months.
Whatever the outcome, the Russian link strengthens Mancini's hand. He has been offered a three-year deal worth £5m a year by city but wants a longer term as well as guarantees over the control of transfer policy.
City's hierarchy appreciate Mancini's reputation is sky-high having delivered the Fa cup and Premier League title in successive seasons. But there is friction within the club over his growing power and there was unhappiness at the way he blocked a longer pre-season tour of Asia which would have boosted City's global profile.
The Russians would have to pay about £16m in compensation to land Mancini and that is only if the club allow him to leave.
City sources tried to calm the anxieties of fans by saying: 'We're having our discussions on his contract that started at the end of the season.
'We think it'll conclude in the coming days, get sorted and signed off. He's definitely off to Austria on Sunday with the team, not Moscow!'
Mancini, nicknamed 'Bobby Manc' by supporters, clinched the Premier League title with a 3-2 win against QPR on the final day last season.
Russia believe they have the money and clout to be a major international force in football and have also been linked with ex-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola as they seek a replacement for Dick Advocaat, who was a flop at the Euro 2012 finals. Mail-up-bollox
So how refreshing then ....
The not so sensational truth behind the Roberto Mancini to Russia stories
This has been moving around for about 24 hours now so we thought we'd see what the Russians were actually saying about the possibility of Roberto Mancini taking over their national team, to see how far it had been exaggerated by the English press.
And, to be fair, it would be hard to exaggerate just what Sports.Ru are saying because they are acting like the deal is confirmed and all that is missing is Mancini turning up in Russia. Sports.Ru is a major player in Russia and unless they've been taken over by a gang of mischievous journalism students someone must have told them something for them to get so carried away.
There are articles like 'Roberto Mancini: The Photo Gallery', 'Roberto Mancini: The Best Quotes', 'Roberto Mancini: The Rules of Life', and statements and articles by people on what Mancini is like both as a coach and as man.
And then, with a little more digging, it seems there are others also being linked with the job by the same outlet. So whilst most of them at Sports.ru coronate Roberto Mancini, other writers are linking other managers.
Step forward the Italian national manager: 'Italy coach Cesare Prandelli was asked to lead the Russian team.
Soon him signing a six-year contract 54-year-old could be officially announced, according to Sport-Express.'
Sport-Express is long hand for Sports.ru, so they are basically writing stories and using themselves to confirm them. Like us saying 'Cavani will sign a contract with Manchester City according to Sport Witness'.
We looked around other Russian press and there was little about Mancini, Sov Sport seem convinced Fabio Capello should have flown to Russia by now to confirm a deal. Sport cover the story but only to say '...according to Russian sources', they also checked it out with the Russian FA (why didn't anyone else think of that?) and found out from them that they haven't offered a deal to any potential manager and will only have a completed list of candidates on July 10th, perhaps later.
To find out all of this took less than ten minutes so you have to wonder how it's ended up on the back page of The Mail on Sunday as their main football story today. They cite reports in Russia, which will be Sports.ru, but also say Manchester City have denied their manager is leaving.
In Italy today Calciomercato say that Roberto Mancini is having problems extending his deal with Manchester City, so the Russia links will help his cause that way.
Mancini has been linked with the job, that's correct, but so have Pep Guardiola, Cesare Prandelli and Fabio Capello - just this weekend.
MANCHESTER CITY PLAN A TAKEAWAY OF MANCHESTER UNITED'S CHINESE RICHES
ROBERTO MANCINI is poised to take Manchester City on a big-bucks summer tour that could spark the beginnings of a China crisis for bitter rivals United.
Premier League champs City stole United’s title in a last-gasp 3-2 thriller against QPR on the final day of the season.
And now the Blue half of the city wants to steal their enemy’s Far East crown as No.1 supported team.
But Fergie is laughing off any of the fighting talk, saying: “The impact of Manchester United in the Far East is absolutely amazing – and it will always be that way because the history of our club is infiltrated into them for life.
“We’re well used to the fans in the Far East because, to be fair, it’s been like that since the very first time we went out there in 1989.”
City will take the first steps to muscle in next month as they bid for a share of the market, both in terms of fans and finance.
It is a massive market worth billions, because United have an estimated 20 million fans in China alone.
City face Arsenal in Beijing in a hugely-anticipated encounter being billed as the biggest “English” game ever staged in football-mad China.
More than 90,000 fans will cram into the world famous Olympic Bird’s Nest Stadium on July 27 to see City do battle with Arsene Wenger’s outfit, with an estimated TV audience of 40m fans tuning in too.
City already have a following in China with new supporters won over by the dramatic title win achieved with big stars such as Argentina forward Sergio Aguero and bad boy Italian Mario Balotelli.
And they are helped by the fact they have played there once before and have boasted China’s star footballer Sun Jihai in their ranks.
City’s acting chief executive John MacBeath said: “It is clear that there is a huge appetite for the Premier League in Asia and we are very much looking forward to taking our talented squad there to witness the excitement and put on a sporting spectacle for our fans in China.”
Commercial chief Ian Cafferky added: “We believe the visit will mark a breakthrough first step in developing a deep, meaningful and long-lasting relationship with Chinese football, with Chinese authorities and with Chinese football fans.”
City also play a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur on July 30 to round off their Asia tour.
Despite their all-star squad, the task of catching United’s appeal in Asia is a mammoth one.
United built on that popularity with the capture of Japanese winger Shinji Kagawa earlier this summer.
Casting his mind back to 1989 when United first headed east, Fergie said: “That year we were in Thailand, and there were fans all over the hotel, running through the corridors and waiting outside the hotel day and night.
“It really was incredible. And nothing has changed. It will be exactly the same this time.”
United will play against Shanghai Shenhua for the Chevrolet China Cup on July 25 in what could be Didier Drogba’s debut for the big-spending Chinese outfit.
And with another former Chelsea striker, French ace Nicolas Anelka, already on the Shanghai books, Fergie predicts a tasty encounter.
The Scot added: “Those two players will definitely add a bit of spice to the game. Totally.
“In all probability, the Chinese fans will be seeing Drogba for the first time against us.”
United chief executive David Gill said: “Our pre-season tour is an important process. We had fantastic support last time.”
Manchester City Linked With Shock Move for Manchester United Winger Nani
MANCHESTER CITY are monitoring Nani’s situation at neighbours United in a shock development.
The Portugal winger, 25, has so far failed to agree a new contract at Old Trafford, placing his future under Sir Alex Ferguson in doubt.
And that has alerted City, who are in the market for a winger with England wideman Adam Johnson, 24, expected to leave.
Arsenal’s Theo Walcott, 23, has also been discussed at City but boss Roberto Mancini is understood to be cool on that idea at the moment. Tricky Nani has two years remaining on his current United deal and ideally wants to remain at Old Trafford.
He is a big favourite with the fans and it is also unlikely that United would consider selling him to new champions City – particularly at the moment.
But Nani’s name has been discussed at the Etihad.
Sunderland, meanwhile, are expected to step up their interest in Johnson, now that manager Martin O’Neill is armed with the proceeds from the sale of striker Asamoah Gyan, 26 to Al Ain in Abu Dhabi. Star
[spoiler]Elle Richie
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OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea have fought off competition from their Barclays Premier League rivals to land George Brady from Cannes.
Both Manchester clubs, Arsenal and Tottenham were all monitoring the 15-year-old starlet, who opted to agree a three-year deal with the Stamford Bridge club.
Brady, a 6ft 4in defender, is one of Europe's hottest prospects and is the nephew of West Ham chairman Karren Brady.
The Blues have watched the teenager for the past two years and have paid AS Cannes £250,000 in compensation for his services. Mail
Chelsea have re-entered the race to sign Tottenham's Croatia midfielder Luka Modric, 26. Mail on Sunday
Meanwhile, Blues midfielder Frank Lampard, 34, has pledged to remain at Stamford Bridge despite interest from LA Galaxy and China. the Sun
New Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas is ready to challenge former employees Chelsea for Borussia Dortmund's 23-year-old Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who is rated at £20m. Sunday Times
Marseille's Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta, 22, is back in Chelsea's transfer plans, as Roberto Di Matteo continues his search for a new full-back. Metro
Robin van Persie, 29, is back in England for showdown talks with manager Arsene Wenger as Arsenal fear he is holding out for a dream move to Real Madrid. Sunday Mirror
Wenger wants Fiorentina's £25m-rated striker Stevan Jovetic, 22, to replace Van Persie. Sunday Express
New Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has no intention of selling 32-year-old forward Craig Bellamy. Liverpool Echo
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill is poised to make a move for Wolves striker Steven Fletcher, 25, following Asamoah Gyan's permanent move to United Arab Emirates club Al-Ain. Sunday Mirror
Stoke City are close to signing Houston Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron, 26, who has won five caps for the USA. Stoke Sentinel
Aston Villa are facing defeat in their efforts to lure Champions League winner Ryan Bertrand, 22, from Chelsea as the player is set for a Stamford Bridge pay rise. Sunday Mirror
Aberdeen manager Craig Brown expects midfielder Fraser Fyvie to be sold before the start of the season, with Fulham poised to renew their interest in the 19-year-old. Sunday Mail
Celtic manager Neil Lennon says Victor Wanyama will not be allowed to leave the club despite the midfielder and his agent talking up interest from Liverpool, QPR and Stoke City while he was on international duty with Kenya. Sunday Mail
Arsene Wenger insists he will never change the way he operates at Arsenal - even if his star players keep leaving. the Sun
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque has invited Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, 39, to the Euro 2012 winners' training camp to discuss ideas and philosophies. Sunday Mirror
Joe Cole, 30, has dismissed uncertainty about his Liverpool future and committed himself to the club. talkShite
QPR will reveal plans for a new 35,000-seater stadium within weeks. Mail on Sunday
The proposed Scottish Professional Football League would give top-fight clubs preferential shares with greater voting rights compared to those in the lower three divisions - and have two operational boards, one for the top two divisions and one for the bottom two. Scotland on Sunday
Former Brazil striker Ronaldo, 35, demonstrated his heavyweight credentials when he joined UFC star Anderson Silva for a spot of sparring in Las Vegas. Metro
GOLDEN BOLLOX - Tales from the vault September 2009
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy vetoed manager Harry Redknapp's late loan swap attempt involving winger David Bentley and Manchester City's Martin Petrov. Another loan swap involving Tottenham's Alan Hutton and Sunderland's Anton Ferdinand also fell through. The Independent
Portsmouth goalkeeper David James fears for his England World Cup place after failing to secure a dream move to Tottenham on transfer deadline day. Daily Mirror
Aston Villa winger James Milner, who is aiming for a place in England's World Cup squad next year, is hoping for a more stable season on the domestic front. The 23-year-old has had 14 managers at four different clubs and has never started and finished a campaign under the same boss.
Various
Brazilian defender Glauber Berti, who was recently released by Manchester City, is set to sign for Hull. Daily Mirror
Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand has told rivals Manchester City that "this city is not big enough for two big teams".
Daily Mirror
Pop star Cheryl Cole, whose husband is England and Chelsea left-back Ashley, says she would buy Newcastle if she had the money.
more bollox later ....
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