THE BOLLOX
Manchester City prepare £25 million Jovetic move
The Premier League champions are ready to make a fresh attempt to sign the Montenegro international in the January transfer window, but face competition from Juventus
Manchester City are preparing to make a second move in January to sign £25 million-rated Stevan Jovetic from Fiorentina.
As exclusively revealed by Goal.com, City tried to capture the 22-year-old forward in the last weeks of the August window but the Serie A club managed to hang on to their prize asset.
It is understood that Fiorentina have come to an agreement with Jovetic that he can be sold next year, although this is most likely to be at the end of the season.
However, City have been closely monitoring the player in the new campaign, with Patrick Vieira, the club's football development executive, among the spectators as Jovetic figured in Fiorentina's 2-1 defeat by Inter last Sunday.
The Premier League champions are ready to test the water with a fresh bid in the January window for a player who has long been regarded as one of the most exciting talents in Europe.
But they face strong competition from Juventus, who had a bid of £15.7 million (€20m) for the versatile forward rejected last summer.
Nicknamed 'JoJo', Jovetic has started this season in impressive form, scoring four goals in his first six league games.
City pursued the Montenegro international as part of a double swoop also including Serbian defender Matija Nastasic, who they secured on deadline day for £12m.
The champions indicated in discussions with Fiorentina that they were willing to meet their £24m (€30m) valuation of Jovetic, only for the price tag to be increased to £28m (€35m) as the Italian club moved the goalposts.
Sources have said that senior Fiorentina officials feared a huge backlash from supporters if they also sanctioned the sale of the club's most popular player.
The fact that he has stayed is the most beautiful thing. He has remained and is also happy," Fiorentina general manager Sandro Mencucci said when the window shut. "Was he close to leaving? There were requests but it was very good of my president to convince him to stay."
It is understood that Jovetic agreed to remain in Florence for another season on the proviso that he can leave next year.
The player himself has admitted his future is up in the air. "When City came forward, I'd already decided to stay in Florence," he said last month. "I stopped negotiations. Am I still happy? I've no regrets. But my future was in the balance."
Platt slams Balotelli for sub sulk
Mario Balotelli was unimpressed at being substituted. David Platt was unimpressed with him © PA Photos
Balotelli stormed straight down the tunnel after he was replaced by Sergio Aguero, with manager Roberto Mancini not looking in his direction or acknowledging the young Italian's presence as he departed.
And Platt, who confirmed that Balotelli was not going off for treatment, felt the former Inter striker should have stayed to watch his team-mates. He said: "I don't know why he walked down the tunnel. No, he wasn't injured. Should he have walked straight down the tunnel? No."
However, Mancini, a regular critic of Balotelli's behaviour, insisted he was pleased with his compatriot.
He said: "Mario worked a lot and he had a chance. I am happy with Mario, he played a good game. I think he can do better."
Aguero scored City's second goal in their 3-0 win after coming on for Balotelli, who is yet to score his first Premier League goal of the season.
CITY TWEETS
Manchester City retunred to winning ways at the Etihad Stadium courtesy of goals from Aleksander Kolarov, Sergio Aguero and James Milner in a 3-0 victory over Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday.
City captain Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany) moves to allay the fears of fans: “Injury isn’t too bad but I was carrying it since the last game. Will have to try and get fit for internationals!”
Argentina striker Sergio Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) is pleased with the 3-0 win: “I’ve said it before – we have a great team and we were going to bounce back. We played very well against a five-match undefeated rival today.”
Former City midfielder Patrick Vieira (@OfficialVieira) is pleased with the result: “A good win today after the midweek game, the team played really well. Really happy for James Milner, he gave a big performance. Well done.”
CHANT OF THE WEEKEND
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JOE'S WORLD NUMBER ONE AIM
Joe Hart has no intention of putting his feet up when minnows San Marino visit Wembley on Friday night.
Hart’s midweek heroics against Borussia Dortmund, in which he made wonder save after wonder save, have been hailed as one of the greatest displays of goalkeeping.
But the Manchester City keeper bristled when it was put to him that he should take a breather against San Marino which would allow Norwich City’s John Ruddy or Celtic’s Fraser Forster, celebrating his first senior call-up, to gain some much-needed experience on the international stage.
“No, no way,” said Hart. “I want to play every game. It’s not my shirt but I want to make it mine. I don’t feel pressure from anyone – apart from myself.
“The standards I set myself are high and I try to keep to them. I know that if I keep to them I have got half a chance of doing all right in the game.
“It’s just amazing to be involved in all this. I’m a really lucky footballer to be involved in the Champions League and hopefully qualifying for the World Cup and chasing the Premier League title.”
I want to play every game. It’s not my shirt but I want to make it mine. I don’t feel pressure from anyone – apart from myself
Joe Hart
Immediately after the Dortmund game, which ended 1-1, spellbound England team-mate Wayne Rooney tweeted that Hart was the best keeper in the world. One of the catalogue of stupendous stops against the German champions involved adopting the ‘starfish’ stance – spreading the body as much as humanly possible – one he was quick to confess had once been part of Manchester United Danish legend Peter Schmeichel’s armoury.
It was passed on to Hart via Schmeichel’s son, Kasper, when the pair were together at City.
“Yes, to be fair I took it off the Schmeichels,” Hart, 25, confessed. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Kasper kind of introduced it on a personal basis, but obviously I watched the great man himself, Peter Schmeichel.
“He did the starfish for a long time. It seemed to work for him so it’s something you need to try and use.”
Facing San Marino, who shouldn’t pose any attacking threat on Friday, is a stark contrast to Hart’s continual employment against Dortmund. “I don’t care if I don’t have anything to do – and who knows that will be the case?” he added. “But I want to be in the team against San Marino.”
Dortmund’s German international defender Mats Hummels, a player interesting top Premier League clubs, is a fully paid-up member of the Joe Hart fan club.
He said: “I have known Hart since the Under-21 championships in Sweden a few years ago, when he showed that he was going to be a great goalkeeper.
“Everyone in football knows he is already one of the best in the world. I think he is probably the best keeper England have had for 30 or 40 years.
“He will get better because he is young, he is at a club playing in the Champions League, and he is England’s goalkeeper.
“I think Joe Hart proves that England have some great footballers. But he is where he is because he was given his chance when he was young.
“It is the same with Wayne Rooney. I know the English beat themselves up about not producing enough players to win the World Cup or the European Championships.
“That’s tough because there is only one champion every two years.”
Right now, Hart will settle for a starting place against little San Marino.
MANCHESTER TITLE RACE
0 PTS +1 GD
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, 62, has been told he has at least £35m to spend in the January transfer window and could try to sign Atletico Madrid striker Falcao, 26. Sunday Mirror
Brazil forward Neymar, 20, says international team-mate and Chelsea midfielder Oscar has pleaded with him to join the Blues. Sun
Serie A champions Juve also hope to bring in former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, 34, on a three-year contract if he is released from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua because of ongoing disputes within the club's hierarchy. Tuttosport
Sunderland would let striker Connor Wickham, 19, leave on loan. The England Under-21 international has yet to make a first team appearance this season. People
QPR chief executive Philip Beard says midfielder Joey Barton can turn his loan spell at Marseille into a permanent deal. Sunday Express
Scotland striker James McFadden will this week sign a contract that will keep him at Sunderland until the summer. The Sun
Steve Kean, 45, resigned as manager at Blackburn Rovers - and walked away from a contract worth up to £14.9m - as a successful claim against the club for constructive dismissal would see him receive a much larger settlement figure than if he had been sacked by the Championship club.
QPR will not sack manager Mark Hughes even if the club are involved in a relegation battle for the rest of the season, says owner Tony Fernandes. Sunday Telegraph
Newcastle United are hopeful an overhaul of their youth academy will see it belatedly clinch Category One status in the next few months and bring in a minimum annual funding of £775,000 under the Elite Player Performance Plan. the Journal
The north east club are also in advanced talks with consumer finance company Wonga to sponsor both their shirts and stadium in a deal believed to be worth £8m a year. Sunday Telegraph
Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole has no interest in wearing the captain's armband when he wins his 100th cap for England, which he could earn against Poland on 16 October. Sunday Mirror
However, that honour might have to wait as the 31-year-old is to be left out of the World Cup qualifier against San Marino on Friday by manager Roy Hodgson, 65, and fined £240,000 by Chelsea after his expletive-laden tweet about the Football Association. Sunday Telegraph
Cole is likely to be fined when the FA meets on Monday to discuss what punishment to level against the Blues defender. Sunday Times
Liverpool winger Stewart Downing, 28, has hit back at manager Brendan Rodgers for questioning his desire. Rodgers challenged Downing to show "fight" and "commitment to the cause", to which the England international said: "I was upset and you'll have to ask the manager what he meant with that quote. I always try my best." Sun
Scotland coach Craig Levein believes his squad will welcome back Steven Fletcher, despite the Sunderland striker's previous snub of the international set-up, with open arms - because they all want to qualify for the World Cup finals in Brazil. The Sun
Vancouver Whitecaps have allowed striker Kenny Miller to return to Scotland to recover from a hamstring strain so he can be fit for Scotland's World Cup qualifying double header against Wales and Belgium.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon could be the next member of staff to land a pay rise after helping three of his players - Charlie Mulgrew, Adam Matthews and James Forrest - earn bumper new deals.
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill moaned that the light, bright boots his players are wearing are to blame for injuries.
Winger Juan Mata, 24, has showed his talents are not limited to football by singing the Macarena to Chelsea fans at a Q&A session also featuring Spanish compatriots striker Fernando Torres, 28, midfielder Oriol Romeu, 21, and right-back Cesar Azpilicueta, 23. Metro
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