Manchester City face summer transfer battles for Sergio Agüero and Edinson Cavani
Manchester City face the dual challenge of repelling Real Madrid’s interest in Sergio Agüero and overcoming Paris St-Germain’s attempts to complete a £50 million deal for the Napoli forward Edinson Cavani this summer.
With [strike]Manchester United overhauling Manchester City to regain the Premier League title[/strike], comprehensive plans have already been drawn up by Txiki Begiristain, the director of football at the Etihad Stadium, to rebuild the club’s first-team squad.
With Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano overseeing a root-and-branch review of all departments of the club, the position of manager Roberto Mancini is also set to be discussed before a decision is made on his future beyond the end of the campaign.
Real’s interest in Agüero and PSG’s apparent position of strength in the race to sign Cavani threaten to throw City’s summer plans into disarray, however.
Both Mancini and Begiristain have identified Uruguay forward Cavani as a prime target this summer, with City prepared to pursue the 26-year-old, despite Napoli inserting a €65 million (£55 million) release clause in his contract at Stadio San Paolo.
While Real Madrid’s interest in Agüero is long-standing and no surprise to senior figures at the Etihad, the Argentine forward’s complicated domestic situation has placed doubt over City’s ability to keep the 24-year-old.
Having split with wife Giannina earlier this year, Agüero has since been separated from his three-year-old son Ben, with his estranged wife and child returning to homes in Madrid and Buenos Aires.
City are determined to resist attempts to lure Agüero away from the club, with the former Atlético Madrid striker just two years into a five-year deal at the Etihad. With Real president Florentino Pérez determined to add Agüero to his squad and secure a new contract at the Bernabéu for Cristiano Ronaldo, the reigning Spanish champions are unlikely to miss the opportunity to take advantage of the City player’s personal situation.
Although Atlético forward Radamel Falcao had been regarded as Real’s leading target, rivalry between Madrid’s two main clubs – which forced Real to abandon their move for Agüero two years ago – has forced Real to turn their attentions to the City forward.
Agüero has repeatedly denied suggestions that he moved to England ultimately to secure a transfer to Real and has made no attempt to fuel speculation linking him with a return to the Spanish capital.
Agüero remains central to City’s plans and, with Edin Dzeko expected to be sold this summer, Cavani had been regarded as the ideal partner for the forward whose goal against Queens Park Rangers secured the Premier League title last season.
However, reports in France on Tuesday night claimed that PSG sporting director Leonardo had agreed a deal in principle with Cavani’s advisers.
No deal has yet been struck with Napoli, who are aware of rival interest from City, Real and Chelsea, but Leonardo is understood to have struck an agreement with the Cavani camp worth €8.5 million-a-year (£7.23 million) on a four-year contract.
Should PSG complete a move for Cavani, it would also diminish the prospect of a move by the Qatari-owned French club for Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, who has been repeatedly linked with a switch to Paris, despite United and the player’s advisers rejecting the likelihood of that happening.
PSG’s move for Cavani and Real’s determination to sign Agüero have created uncertainty as to City’s intentions this summer as they attempt to add to the squad to mount a more sustained challenge for the title and Champions League next season.
Begiristain, who arrived at the Etihad in October, has become the driving force behind City’s summer recruitment plans, in conjunction with Mancini and the club’s scouting team.
The former Barcelona sporting director is understood to have devised a list of potential targets to cover every position from one to 11 in the first team, with a grading system of A, B, C and D players.
Category A targets are regarded as the very best player in their position, blue-chip performers capable of raising the quality of the team instantly.
Those players on the B list are viewed as the best available targets, while those in the C tier are judged to be the best and most promising young players in the world.
Finally, the D list of players is for those who are believed to be the most outstanding teenagers, players who would be signed with the future in mind, rather than an immediate place in the team.
Cavani falls into the A category, as does Colombian forward Falcao, who remains a target, despite his preference for a move to Chelsea should he leave for the Premier League.
The first step in City’s rebuilding is likely to centre around Mancini, however, with the club so far failing to offer a clear indication as to whether he will remain beyond the end of the season.
Mancini could yet deliver the FA Cup for a second time, but his position is unlikely to become clear until after the club return from a two-game postseason tour of the United States next month.
Man City joined by PSG in agreeing terms with £60m Cavani... but Real Madrid are set to pounce
Manchester City are closing in on in-demand Napoli frontman Edinson Cavani after agreeing in principle terms with the player over a summer move.
However, David Beckham's Paris St Germain remain in the hunt after striking up a similar deal despite neither agreeing a fee with the Uruguayan's club.
To make matters worse for City, the player himself has set his sights on a dream move to Real Madrid.
Edinson Cavani has scored 72 goals and delivered 12 assists in 100 appearances for Napoli in Serie A.
With fears mounting that Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be lured back to Juventus, as revealed in Sportsmail, PSG hope to hijack City’s pursuit of one of Europe’s most accomplished finishers.
Roberto Mancini is desperate to hit the ground running this summer after seeing his title chances damaged considerably last year when Robin van Persie chose Manchester United.
City, then, have agreed in principle to offer £256k per week, though there remains the barrier of his release clause, initially thought to be £53million. Recently, though, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis insisted it would take an incredible £60million to trigger it.
Asked to clarify the exact amount needed to prise the 26-year-old away, the president said: ‘We included a very high buy-out clause in his contract, because we want him to stay.
'The clause does exist, though, and if some nutter is willing to pay €70m for him we are ready to listen.'
Cavani is the top scorer in Serie A this season, with 23 goals, firing Napoli to a likely second-placed finish behind Juventus.
His blistering form has led PSG sporting director Leonardo to work overtime behind the scenes to convince him of the Parisien project, with reports in France claiming an offer of £7million per year, plus bonuses, is on the table.
Real Madrid have been favourites to sign Cavani, but due to Ibrahimovic openly courting a return to Juve, plus fears within PSG that they could also lose Ezequiel Lavezzi to AC Milan, competition is more fierce than ever. DSSC
Manchester City will conquer Europe one day, claims Vincent Kompany.
Although the Blues could win the FA Cup for the second time in three years this season, their defence of the Premier League title has been hugely disappointing [strike]as rivals United were confirmed as champions on Monday night[/strike]. Roberto Mancini’s men [strike]now trail the Reds by a staggering 16 points[/strike], and they have just five matches left to play.
City also failed to progress in the Champions League for the second successive season, after finishing bottom of their qualifying group. Although they were in a pool containing two of the semi-finalists, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, they were unable to win a single game having drawn three and lost three of their fixtures.
So despite their trip to Wembley to face Wigan Athletic next month, there is still plenty of doom and gloom at the Etihad Stadium. Kompany, though, has made an attempt to lift these spirits. Considering the progress the club has made both on and off the pitch in recent years, the inspirational captain believes more glory is inevitable including in Europe.
“I have five years left and if you knew the plans for this team for the future, I consider that to be a real objective,” the 27-year-old told RMC. “We will win the Champions League one day. It is inevitable. The same question arose concerning the Premier League and we did it. With the investment being made in all areas of the club, that will surely come.”
Maicon dismisses Manchester City exit rumours
Manchester City full-back Maicon has dismissed rumours that he wants to leave the club.
The Brazil international has made limited appearances for at the Etihad Stadium thanks to injuries and the consistent performances of Pablo Zabaleta, but he has said he remains keen to establish himself and return to the national side.
He told Lancenet: "I can completely guarantee you that I'll not leave. I'm calm and I don't care about what [the media] wrote about me.
"My only objective is to help the team and don't have any more injuries, as my goal is to return to the national team."
One potential destination suggested for Maicon was Atletico Mineiro, but the 31-year-old wants to play more of a role for City next season.
"I didn't have one of my best seasons," he acknowledged. "I had physical problems that prevented me from playing all the games as I used to.
"It was a complicated season, but I recovered in the last part of the season and I'm prepared to help the team."
Helen Flanagan and boyfriend Scott Sinclair over for good?
Apparently, the side-boob flashing former Coronation Street actress has decided to end things after four years as she’s hoping for a new start,
“Helen and Scott break up every other week. It is something all of her friends have got used to. But the fact that she’s told close pals it’s all over is a new step.
“She loves Scott but thinks breaking free will give her a new lease of life. The fact she is talking so publicly about ‘the end’ means this could be it for good,” a source tells The Sun.
Helen has been spending a lot of time in London during the past few weeks, and it’s thought that she is now planning to move out of the Cheshire home she shares with Scott.
We’ll have to wait and see if Helen really is ending things for good.
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]Manchester United's plan a £50m spending spree this summer. Everton left-back Leighton Baines, 28, Atletico Madrid forward Radamel Falcao, 27, and Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, 24, are on Ferguson's wanted list. Daily Mirror
But Chelsea believe they have won the race to land Falcao. DSSC
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