ROUND-UP
Yaya Toure tweet is widely quoted in this morning's media with Ivorian feeling the need to dismiss mischievous claims by former City star Rodney Marsh.
Rodney, not a stranger to the odd outspoken view from time to time, has indicated that he believes Yaya is unsettled but the stand-in skipper wasted no time in dismissing the claims as nonsense.
The Daily Express are one of many newspapers to carry the story. John Dillon writes: "Yaya Toure has rubbished suggestions from Rodney Marsh that he is unhappy at Manchester City.
Former City star Marsh claimed sources at the club had told him the midfielder was unsettled, but Toure said via Twitter: 'Hey buddies, don't listen to the rumours, I'm happy at City.
'How can I be unhappy when I get so much love and respect from everyone at City?'"
It is an international break and irritating stories like this have a habit of surfacing during what is a traditionally quiet period for gossip and rumour.
That said, Forza Italian Football suggest this morning that Napoli are the latest Serie A side to show interest in City right-back Micah Richards.
Micah has been linked with many of Europe's top clubs over the past six months and Anthony Alborino writes: "Manchester City defender Richards has been added to the list of candidates for the Napoli defence as president Aurelio De Laurentis looks to invest heavily in the squad during the winter transfer window.
"The Partenopei supremo has set aside ?50 million for new players in January after admitting that the San Paolo outfit must spend big in order to attract top names and keep up with Europe's elite.
"As a result transfer market expert Alfredo Pedulla, who spoke on the programme Football Clan on the Sport Uno channel, stated that the Azzurri are now closely following the England international, who is keen to secure a move away from Manchester in order to win a place in England's World Cup squad."
Pablo Zabaleta loses Man City vice-captaincy
MANUEL PELLEGRINI has risked the wrath of the Manchester City dressing room after axing Pablo Zabaleta as vice-captain.
The Argentine star was made stand-in skipper for the injured Vincent Kompany under former boss Roberto Mancini.
But Pellegrini has stripped Zabaleta of the role and given it to Yaya Toure.
“Some of the players are surprised and disappointed that Pablo has been stripped of the vice-captaincy”
Man City source
Toure has been leading the team in recent weeks due to Kompany being sidelined with a serious thigh problem.
But Starsport understands Pellegrini’s decision to demote Zabaleta has angered several players.
The full-back is one of the most popular members in the squad and is a big influence on the younger stars.
Zabaleta lost his place to Micah Richards for last weekend’s defeat at Sunderland.
A source told Starsport: “Some of the players are surprised and disappointed that Pablo has been stripped of the vice-captaincy.
“Pablo is the ultimate professional. He is so influential on the pitch and in the dressing room that there was a sense of shock at that.
“He has worked with the manager before so the assumption among the group was that Pablo would continue to wear the armband in Kompany’s absence.
“But it has been taken away and he has been in and out of the side.
“In tough away games they need someone to get them going and Pablo was always effective in that respect.
“Yaya is a world-class footballer, one of the best, but he would probably be the first to admit that he isn’t as vocal as Pablo.” STAR
Pell delayed Joe axe
Manuel wanted to drop Hart after Bayern gaffes
The City boss delayed dropping goalkeeper Joe Hart in order to help England qualify for the World Cup. The Chilean coach was due to drop the 26-year-old before England's World Cup qualifiers last month against Montenegro and Poland but delayed the decision so as not to knock Hart's confidence. Sun
Malaga warn Manchester City Willy Caballero will cost them £20million
Manchester City have been told they will have to pay £20million to sign goalkeeper Willy Caballero in the January transfer window.
City are believed to be the market for a new shot-stopper in the new year, with Manuel Pellegrini losing faith with the under-fire Joe Hart.
Celtic’s Fraser Forster and the Galatasaray ace Fernando Muslera have both been linked with moves to the Etihad, but Pellegrini is said to favour signing Caballero from former club Malaga.
However, despite the interest, Malaga say they would only part with the goalie if City made a bid which matched his £20million release clause.‘We will not sell Willy Caballero,’ said Malaga director general Vicente Casado.
‘He will not leave unless someone pays his release clause and he is in agreement. At the moment we are focused on building the squad’
Caballero only signed a new contract with Malaga recently, but his excellent performances in recent weeks have seen a number of top European sides show an interest.
Pellegrini is said to have made a goalkeeper his number one priority, and scouts are expected to watch all of Caballero’s matches until January.METRO
Napoli to battle Man City for Saint-Etienne youngster
Napoli boss Rafa Benitez is ready to battle Manchester City to sign Saint-Etienne youngster Kurt Zouma.
Benitez wants a new centre-back in January – talkSHIT told you earlier this year that he has considered raiding his former club Liverpool for both Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger – and he is now keen on Zouma.
The 19-year-old, who was recently handed a ten-match ban for breaking an opponent’s leg, has been followed by a number of top European sides, including Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid.
talkSHIT also revealed to you that he has ruled out any future move to Saint-Etienne’s fierce local rivals Lyon.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini has faced defensive problems this season and could ramp up his interest in Zouma in the New Year.
Liverpool have tracked the Frenchman in the past but they are less likely to make a move after snapping up Kolo Toure, Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori during the summer.
Vincent Kompany's Injury a Blow for Manchester City
Manchester City have received bad news regarding Vincent Kompany's latest injury. According to a report by Jamie Jackson in the Guardian, Kompany has been assessed by a member of the Belgium FA's medical staff and is now expected to be out until December.
Kompany needs an eight-week period to fully recover from a series of injuries, and having sustained the injury in the match at home to Everton on Oct. 1, he's not expected to return until at least the game against Swansea at the Etihad on Dec. 1. Pellegrini had initially suggested that he would return for the match against Viktoria Plzen in two weeks weeks.
Lieven Maesschalck, a trusted Belgian physio who has assessed Kompany, told Sky Sports:
"I think Vincent is going to be ready in several weeks," Maesschalck told Sky Sports News. "We will do everything we can to bring back Vincent in a good way for a long time.
"First of all he had a rupture, a tear into the abductor and then also he has bad luck with a small thing on the front side now, so it's everything together.
"It's not really so long, eight weeks is nothing in the time of injury, you must respect biology."
With City struggling to string a run of good results together, Kompany's experience and organisation in defence is badly needed. He brings a steadying influence to the team, and it's his presence—perhaps more than any other—that strengthens City's hand.
Kompany’s impact on the side is clear. Both last season and this season, his absence has had an adverse effect on the team’s ability to win points. A six-match period without him last February saw City surrender their title to Manchester United, and his injury troubles this year have set them back again.
I wrote in detail this week about City with and without Kompany, and the stats paint a clear picture. City average well over two points per game when he plays but dip below that level when he's missing.
A major problem for City is that Kompany's replacements haven't been good enough. Matija Nastasic is an excellent young player who is likely to play a major part in City's future, but his performances have a tendency to dip slightly when Kompany isn't there to marshal the back four. The 20-year-old isn't a natural leader and appears much more confident alongside his captain.
Joleon Lescott has played five times in the league this season but has failed to produce his form of old, while Javi Garcia, a midfielder by trade, has filled in at centre-back on numerous occasions, consistently looking uncomfortable in that role.
The injury to new signing Martin Demichelis was a big blow for Manuel Pellegrini. He was signed to provide the experienced cover City badly need, but a knee ligament injury just days after signing for the club saw him miss six weeks. He returned for the defeat at Chelsea and has already played four games. He should improve as he settles in to English football.
City will be hoping that Maesschalck's prognosis is conservative, and that Kompany will be back in a Blue shirt as soon as possible.
WEARING BLUE, SPOTTED OUTSIDE THE USUAL SUSPECT ... THE QUEEN IS TO SIGN FOR CITY
[spoiler]Samaras WAG
[/spoiler]Manchester United boss David Moyes is considering a bid for midfielder Andres Iniesta, 29, after hearing the Spain international has fallen out with Barcelona bosses. DSSC
USA skipper Clint Dempsey, 30, is set to make a loan return to the Premier League from Seattle Sounders in January. Tottenham have first refusal on the midfielder but Fulham, Aston Villa and Everton are also interested. Daily Mirror
Celtic have agreed a £100,000 fee for the transfer of Fram Reykjavik's Iceland Under-21 striker Holmbert Fridjonsson, 20, his club chairman has claimed. Scotsman
AC Milan have turned to Newcastle full-back Davide Santon, 22, as the man they want to replace Ignazio Abate, 27, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal. Daily Express
Porto's Colombian striker Jackson Martinez, 27, is prepared to depart for a bigger club, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham interested in signing him during the summer. Daily Star
Chelsea are planning a £25m move for Marseille defensive midfielder Giannelli Imbula, 21. Daily Express
Former Chelsea defender Dan Petrescu, 45, is set to agree to become Crystal Palace's next manager - if he is given a contract lasting at least two years. Daily Mirror
Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, 33, will have a painkilling injection for his hip injury so he can play in England's friendly against Germany on Tuesday. The captain is already out of Friday's game against Chile. DSSC
Chile and Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez says Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster is the "complete player". Forster, 25, pulled off a remarkable double save when Barca beat Celtic 1-0 in the Champions League last month and is expecting a tough challenge with Forster set to play for England against Chile. Daily Telegraph
The German FA has downgraded its ticket request for the friendly against England next Tuesday to less than 1,000 seats after little interest in the game from its supporters. Independent
Meanwhile, England Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate says West Brom striker Saido Berahino, 20, could force his way into the senior team's plans for the World Cup. Times
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, 26, has thanked fans for the support he has received in recent days, as club figures defended their handling of his fitness over recent months. ESPN
West Brom have written to the Premier League to demand video technology is used to stop a repeat of the penalty controversy that denied them victory at Chelsea on Saturday. DSSC
Manchester United fans are exploring the purchase of shares in the club in order to help push through safe standing at Old Trafford. It comes after the Manchester United Supporters' Trust improved its dialogue with the club after years of being sidelined. Independent
Spain have broken with tradition by ditching their dark shorts in favour of an all-red kit for next summer's World Cup in Brazil. Marca
An Arsenal fan in Uganda has lost his house after betting the Gunners would beat Manchester United at the weekend. Daily Mirror
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foot ... 37597.html
