Manchester City are ready to renew their pursuit of Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi, according to reports in Italy.
Citizens boss Roberto Mancini was keen to sign the 28-year-old last summer and again in the January transfer window, but the Etihad Stadium moneymen were reluctant to pay a fee for a player who was approaching the end of his contract.
De Rossi went on to sign a new deal in February and is now committed to Roma until 2017.
That has done nothing to quell Mancini's admiration for the player, who he believes could make City serious contenders for the Champions League.
He appears to have won over the directors and the Premier League champions are now ready to pay £23.5million for De Rossi, reports Il Messaggero.
A move for the World Cup winner could be partly financed by the sale of the player he would replace, Nigel de Jong.
The Dutchman, who is in the final year of his City contract, is known to be a target for both Inter Milan and AC Milan.
METRO
Bayern Munich keen on Nigel de Jong
The Bavarians are keen to add to their ranks ahead of the new season, and have now supposedly set their sights on the Netherlands international, who would replace Mark van Bommel
The Bundesliga giants are looking to add another midfielder to their squad and have previously been linked with players such as Javi Martinez and Lars Bender.
However, they have now turned their attention to De Jong instead as they seek a cheaper alternative.
The 27-year-old joined City from Hamburg in January 2009 and quickly became an important member of Roberto Mancini's squad.
However, he lost his starting berth last season as the Citizens won the Premier League, and City appear to be ready to cash in on the Dutchman this summer if a good offer comes in.
De Jong's current contract with the Manchester side is due to expire at the end of the 2012-13 campaign, and an offer in the region of €10 million could be enough to lure him away from City. Goal
Altitude training: Balotelli sets new club record – for the highest bar bill ever seen!
Super Mario's limbering up for the new season by hanging around with Dean Gaffney and having it large in nightspot owned by Gary Lineker's brother
Mario Balotelli racked up a venue’s biggest ever bar bill as he partied at an exclusive club in the party capital of the world.... Ibiza
The enigmatic Manchester City and Italy striker shelled out a record-breaking amount of cash during a day and night session at the Ocean Beach Club.
The new venue, which is owned by Gary Lineker’s brother Wayne, has hosted a string of big-spending soccer stars this summer including Joe Hart, Andy Carroll, Micheal Carrick and Danny Welbeck, but partyloving Mario outdid them all in the spending stakes which ran into thousands of pounds.
Stunned Wayne, who owns a string of nightspots across Europe tweeted: “Wicked night last night in @LinekersIbiza with Mario Barotelli. His bill was the biggest anyone has ever had in 25 years in any Linekers.
“Balotelli has just texted and said @LinekersIbiza was crazy place. Ha.”
The 21-year-old hitman hired the most exclusive table at the swanky venue - which has a minimum spend of 5,000 Euros.
Balotelli booked the ‘Owner’s Bed’ which is described as the ultimate VIP experience and the most exclusive VIP bed in the venue which caters for up to 20 guests.
Wayne added in a full-on Twitter spew: “Mario Balotelli has booked the owners bed today @oceanbeachibiza.he’s on route now. Let’s see if he can party!!
“Just spoke to Mario Balotelli in @OceanBeachIbiza and OMG he has never heard of @GaryLineker WTF I said are you joking me !! £hesnotblonde
“Me and Mario Balotelli at @OceanBeachIbiza today. All I will say is mmm. £interestingguy
“Balotelli is only in @LinekersIbiza haha loves it!!
“OMG Mario balotelli is on the back benches getting his groove on in @linekersibiza £awesome.”
Hanging about with Dean Gaffney
Balotelli, 21, and former Eastenders actor Dean Gaffney, 34, hit it off a treat during a boozy night out on the party island of Ibiza.
Sharing a £600 magnum of premium vodka, the odd couple chatted at length – both in slightly broken English – in the VIP area of Ocean Beach Club.
Flirting with, and staring at, an array of beautiful women, they talked football before moving
on to nearby Lineker’s bar.
Despite expecting his first child with former lover Raffaella Fico, the Manchester City striker showed off his new flame, a blonde known only as Amber on Saturday night.
A source said: “He was telling everyone she was his girlfriend – although he wasn’t shy in flirting with other women.
“Then Dean introduced himself to Mario and said he was a big fan. They got chatting and hit it off.
“Their conversation wasn’t exactly scintillating but they obviously found some common ground. They hope to hang out again in the next few days.” MIRROR
RVP
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie wants £10m-a-year deal at his new club - Manchester United, City and Juventus are all chasing the Dutchman. SUN
Eric Cantona 'kung fu kicked coffee table after Manchester United lost title'
Eric Cantona Kung Fu kicked a coffee table after watching Manchester United lose their Premier League title last season.
His son Raphael revealed his dad’s torment to a United fan in Barcelona.
He said the pair had watched the season’s climax on TV and thought the Reds had held on to the title as rivals Manchester City were being held at home by QPR.
But City’s Sergio Aguero scored a winner with just seconds left to hand the Premier League trophy to the Sky Blues on goal difference.
Raphael, 23, said his dad, famed for his Kung Fu attack on Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons in 1995, kicked out at the coffee table.
He told United supporter Jonathan Cruise: “It smashed to pieces. My dad was angry and upset. He still adores United and we thought they were going to hang on to the title.”
Jonathan, 21, from Manchester, met Raphael outside a club in Barcelona.
He said: “It was about 2am and I had gone outside for a cigarette. A guy kindly asked me for a cigarette so I gave him one and he then asked me where I was from.
“When I said ‘from Manchester’ he smiled. He went on to ask me if I was a blue or a red and when I said ‘red’ he smiled even more.
“He went on to say ‘my father is the king in Manchester’ and when I asked what he meant he said his dad was Eric Cantona.
He went on to tell me what had happened on the last day of the season with a big grin on his face.
“He said the coffee table just disintegrated onto the carpet and we had a laugh at what had happened.
“I told him it was a pleasure to meet Cantona’s son and we shook hands.
“When we got back to England we checked his Facebook account and there is no doubt it was definitely Raphael. He was a sound guy.
“It shows just how passionate his dad still is about United.” MIRROR
You'll struggle this year, City!
Ivanovic predicts improved Chelsea and United could pip champions in title race
Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic has fired a warning shot to Manchester City after predicting the champions will suffer from second season syndrome.
The Etihad Stadium club won their first league title since 1968 last season and manager Roberto Mancini hopes the triumph will spark a sustained period of domestic and European domination.
But speaking from Chelsea’s US training base, Ivanovic insisted that would be easier said than done - and even claimed Manchester United will start the season as favourites to win the Premier League.
‘City will find it a lot more difficult next season, every team will want to beat them because they are the champions,’ said the Serb.
‘It was the same with us, when you win something - it doesn’t matter if it’s a big or small club - they will fight and have extra motivation.
‘The real test of a good team is if they can be successful again in the next season, particularly in the Premier League because it’s a long season and everyone wants to beat you.’
He added: ‘For me Manchester United are always the number one favourites.
'After watching City win it last season United will have the motivation. Also other teams, like Chelsea, will look at City and try to build something new and looking to be in the race to win the league. It will be tough for them.’
Meanwhile, Ivanovic admits the club’s pre-season tour of America does not feel quite the same without Didier Drogba.
The Ivorian left Stamford Bridge this summer after eight years at the club - his last kick of a ball for the Blues securing their historic Champions League triumph in Munich.
And Ivanovic added: ‘It’s really strange not having Didier with us. We miss him.
‘A lot of us are still waiting for him to come back - it’s like something is missing.
'But I hope we don’t miss him on the pitch because he was a key player for us.’
Manchester City makes £250 million bid for Arsenal's history
PREMIER League champions Manchester City have tabled an offer to buy up Arsenal’s entire roll-call of honours for an estimated £250 million, plus Adam Johnson.
This could all un-happen
If accepted, the offer would see City retrospectively crowned league double winners in 1970-71, 1997-98 and 2001-2002, first division champions three seasons running between 1933 and 1935 as well as last-gasp victors in 1989 when they went to Anfield and snatched the title from Liverpool.
The transfer of history would also mean that the 1939 film The Arsenal Stadium Mystery, to which City’s owners have acquired all rights, would be renamed The Etihad Stadium Mystery.
Furthermore, copies of Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch are set to be recalled and a new edition written, culminating in Manchester City’s thrilling Division Two play-off victory in 1999 when they upset the odds to beat Gillingham.
Insiders say that the money would be used to strengthen Arsenals squad, with £1.5 million of it put towards a bid for Laurent Ouidy, the injury-prone French winger whose three goals for FC Pantalon almost saved them from relegation last season.
The rest would be used to service the debt on the Emirates stadium, reupholster the executive restaurant dining lounge and as lavatory paper for the club’s shareholders.
Nathan Muir, senior accountant at Arsenal FC, said, “I know fans think trophies are what count – trust me, they’re not. Have you seen the Inter Cities Fairs Cup? You take that mantelpiece bauble down to a car boot sale and trust me, you’ll be driving the bugger home.”
Professor Henry Brubaker of the Institute For Studies said, “Clubs trading each others’ histories is nothing new. Deals like this have been commonplace in football for years.
“Take Manchester United – a nothing team until 1980, when they came into cash and did exactly the same thing as City. Nowadays, no one remembers it was originally Port Vale who beat Benfica to win the 1968 European Cup.” Daily Mash
OTHER BOLLOX
Manchester United have agreed a staggering £26m deal to sign Brazilian teenager Lucas Moura, 19, from Sao Paulo.
Moura is part of Brazil's London 2012 Olympic squad. Daily Mirror
United are also reportedly ready to make a bid for Fulham's Moussa Dembele, 25, as their busy transfer summer looks set to continue. Metro
Holland international Ron Vlaar, 26, has accused Aston Villa of messing him about after pulling out of a £3.2m move from Feyenoord. Daily Express
Tottenham are lining up a bid for Roma striker Marco Borriello, 30, after being told they have no chance of signing Atletico Madrid's Adrian Lopez.
Martin Skrtel is in talks over a new Liverpool contract Metro
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists defender Martin Skrtel, 27, is not for sale. Daily Telegraph
Blackburn Rovers contract rebel Junior Hoilett, 22, will not be joining Queens Park Rangers unless the London club pay a fee of £6m - or propose a swap involving Jamie Mackie. Daily Mirror
Premier League new-boys Southampton want to sign Blackburn defender Scott Dann, 25. Daily Mirror
Fulham have swooped for Chelsea's £18m-rated striker Romelu Lukaku, 19, on a season-long loan. the Sun
Crystal Palace could land a summer bargain as they set up deal for French striker Alexis Allart, 25, that will cost just £300,000 Daily Mirror
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has told England manager Roy Hodgson he is ready to come out of international retirement. Daily Mirror
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has slammed midfielder Luka Modric after the Croatian reportedly failed to show up for training. talkShite
A furious Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will block any move for Modric after his training no-show at the weekend and he will fine the Croatian for the third time in four days if he fails to attend training on Monday.
Gareth Southgate is a contender for the Crawley job Daily Mirror
Gareth Southgate is a surprise contender to become the next manager of League One newcomers Crawley Town. the Sun
ON THIS DAY - OFFICIAL BOLLOX
Looking back through the history books for the events, signings and memorable matches that happened on this day in City’s history.
Monday 23 July 1973
City beat Partick Thistle 5-0 in Sweden as part of a pre-season tour.
It comes on the back of a 3-3 draw with Hammarby and a 1-0 win over Hull City for Johnny Hart’s side.
Thursday 23 July 2009
Felipe Caicedo leaves City for a loan spell with Sporting Lisbon.
After signing for the Blues for £5.2 million on 31 January 2008, Caicedo struggled for first team opportunities in an improving squad.
In subequent years the Ecuadorian also spends time on loan at Malaga and Levante before leaving the club in 2011.
Saturday 23 July 2011
Twelve months ago the Blues were two weeks into their U.S. pre-season training camp. In a break from training, the players take part in a beach soccer event with local children in Los Angeles.
After a great Sunday for British sport, John Terry arrives at pre-season Chelsea press conference ...
