Manchester City Accepts UEFA Settlement Agreement
Manchester City have accepted the settlement agreement proposed by UEFA for breach of Financial Fair Play regulations.
City, along with Paris Saint-Germain and seven other clubs have all signed settlement agreements offered by the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) Investigatory Chamber, the body set up by UEFA to manage the new financial rules.
The agreements are aimed at ensuring each club achieves break-even compliance with minimal delay, and are defined by Articles 14 (1) (b) and 15 of the Procedural Rules governing the CFCB (http://uefa.to/1ekZ94F).
The nine clubs for which investigations were conducted by the CFCB Investigatory Chamber are: Bursaspor (TUR), FC Anji Makhachkala (RUS), FC Rubin Kazan (RUS), FC Zenit (RUS), Galatasaray AŞ (TUR), Manchester City FC (ENG), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), PFC Levski Sofia (BUL) and Trabzonspor AŞ (TUR).
Each club will be subject to ongoing monitoring, and any case of non-compliance with the terms of their agreement will be automatically referred to the CFCB Adjudicatory Chamber as per Article 15 (4) of the Procedural Rules governing the CFCB.
It had been expected that City would appeal against the sanctions which include a fine of £49m, £32m of which is suspended, plus a 21 player restriction of its Champions League squad next season but decided against stating the decision was made after weighing up the practical realities for their fans, partners and the club’s commercial operations.
A statement on the club’s official website read, “From the outset, the Club has engaged with UEFA in its introduction of the Financial Fair Play Regulations in good faith and without prejudice and in a transparent and collaborative manner. The Club’s position is that it is beholden upon UEFA and the European football establishment to ensure the same.
“The Club can confirm that it has been in discussions with UEFA over the last month - in relation to the application of Financial Fair Play regulations - as has been widely reported and communicated by UEFA.
“At the heart of those discussions is a fundamental disagreement between the Club’s and UEFA’s respective interpretations of the FFP regulations on players purchased before 2010. The Club believes it has complied with the FFP regulations on this and all other matters.
“In normal circumstances, the Club would wish to pursue its case and present its position through every avenue of recourse. However, our decision to do so must be balanced against the practical realities for our fans, for our partners and in the interests of the commercial operations of the Club.
“As a result of these considerations and the fact that the Club is now break even in its operations, the Club has decided to enter into a compromise agreement with UEFA.”
The European Club Association which has always been supportive of Financial Fair Play (FFP) welcomed the fact that UEFA is taking the implementation of the rules seriously.
Commenting on the matter, ECA Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said, "Financial Fair Play is a bonus for the clubs, as it helps them to control costs. The European clubs are supporting such goal. As we have seen today, UEFA applies Financial Fair Play very consistently.
“Therefore, I call on all clubs in Europe to respect the rules and continue on the path we have chosen together with UEFA."
Everton and Tottenham lead chase for Manchester City’s James Milner
James Milner is ready to quit Manchester City in a bid to get more first-team football.
The England international is unhappy with the amount of games he is getting at the Etihad under Manuel Pellegrini and is prepared to leave the Premier League champions to get more game time.
Despite appearing in 31 of City’s 38 league games last season Milner started only 17, and would be prepared to give up Champions League football to be a regular.
That’s alerted Everton and Tottenham, who are both interested in signing the player who left Aston Villa in a £20million deal in 2010.
City are keen to keep Milner but may be prepared to cash in on the 28-year-old to free up some funds to help them comply with financial fair play rules.
However, it is unlikely anything will be decided before Milner returns from England duty in Brazil.
Arsenal preparing £10million bid for Manchester City star James Milner
ARSENAL are lining up a £10million offer in an effort to beat Liverpool, Tottenham and Everton to Manchester City star James Milner.
The 28-year-old midfielder wasn't afford a great deal of playing time for the Citizens this season, who were crowned Premier League champions.
The Gunners, who are poised to seal a new contract for Arsene Wenger, are likely to be handed a bumper £100m warchest to fund a possible assault on the title next season.
City were recently fined £49m by UEFA for breaking their Financial Fair Play rules, which in turn could have serious ramifications on their spending in the summer.
Fresh reports suggest Wenger is readying a £10m offer for Milner as he believes the England midfielder could provide competition for Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini.
It is also thought Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton have made their own inquiries behind the scenes for a player, who has made clear that he is available.
Milner is set to jet off with England to Portugal for their pre-World Cup training camp in Portugal with Roy Hodgson adamant he will not let unresolved club issues distract players on international duty.
City are currently chasing deals for Arsenal's Bacary Sagna and Porto duo Eliaquim Mangala and Fernando.
Manchester City target Mehdi Benatia?
Manchester City are reportedly considering a summer move for Roma defender Mehdi Benatia as their pursuit of Porto's Eliaquim Mangala looks to have faltered.
Mangala, 23, recently revealed that he would rather join Chelsea instead of a switch to the Etihad Stadium.
Issues over third-party ownership have also complicated any potential deal involving the Frenchman, so the Premier League champions are now focusing their attention on Benatia, according to Goal.com.
It is understood that Roma would want around £22m for the 27-year-old Moroccan international.
However, City full-back Aleksandar Kolarov could be used as a makeweight if a transfer goes through before the start of next season.
Man City and Man Utd target Eliaquim Mangala: ‘I’d rather join Chelsea’
Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala says he would rather sign for Chelsea than Manchester City.
The France international was the subject of a bid from City during the January transfer window, but that fell through when Porto rejected a joint-bid for Mangala and midfielder Fernando.
Manchester United have also been linked with the 23-year-old, but he has indicated that he favours a move to Stamford Bridge for geographical reasons.
He told BeIn Sports: “It is true that I love the Premier League because it is a spectacular championship.
“In January, there were discussions with City, but it fell through because the two clubs could not reach an agreement.
“City or Chelsea? Chelsea because it is London.”
It might also help that he shares an agent with Blues boss Jose Mourinho.
Mangala added: “My goal now is the World Cup. We will see what happens after that.
“I told (my agent) Jorge Mendes that I don’t want to know anything about the transfer window until then.”
Ranking the 55 best Manchester City players ever (cast your vote)
What a season for Manchester City! Their second championship in three years and three straight Premier League championships for the city of Manchester. Unfortunately for Man City, the off season got off to a rough start. That hefty fine by UEFA is going to slam their Champions League chances next year, and the financial will hurt their chances in the transfer market.
That said, it’s time to look at where today’s heroes such as Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero rank among the greatest ever to wear the Manchester City kit.
http://www.thesportsbank.net/manchester ... y-players/
Man City and Arsenal in the frame to land Spanish superstar
Spanish international midfielder schemer Andres Iniesta has intimated that he may consider a move away from current club Barcelona in the summer following a disappointing season for the Catalan club, news which is sure to put Europe’s elite on standby for his signature.
A 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid saw the league title slip from Barca’s grasp and into Atletico’s, prompting a visibly emotional Iniesta to say “We were relying on winning this game. We haven’t and that makes this season disappointing, because if we had won, everything would be different. The season is over, lots of things are over”.
This follows the news that 51 year-old Chilean Gerardo Martino has stepped down from his managerial post at the club as a result of the lacklustre campaign, with former player and ‘B’ Team manager Luis Enrique set to take the hotspot, and Iniesta’s comments only serve to fuel speculation that he is considering his own future with the club he has made over 300 senior appearances for.
English duo Manchester City and Arsenal are thought to be on high alert by the development, could not only afford the 30 year-old but play an attractive, attacking and fluid brand of football which is well suited to the Spaniard’s natural game and technique.
Didier Deschamps, France Coach, Suing Samir Nasri's Girlfriend
France coach Didier Deschamps is suing Samir Nasri's girlfiend, Anara Atanes, after she labelled him a "shit manager" last week.
Samir Nasri's Girlfriend Says 'F**k The France National Team' After World Cup Squad Exclusion
Atanes responded to her boyfriend's exclusion from Les Bleus' World Cup squad with a foul-mouthed Twitter tirade on Tuesday, saying: "Fuck france and fuck deschamps! What a shit manager." She added: "Lets just get this straight! Im not mad i get my bf for 2 months.... I just think theres a level of respect to be had!"
French radio station RMC reported that Deschamps and the French Football Federation (FFF) have opened legal proceedings against Atanes.
Fuck france and fuck deschamps! What a shit manager!
— Anara (@_Anara_) May 13, 2014
"FFF condemns insulting remarks against Didier Deschamps and fully supports his coach in his approach," read a statement released on Friday.
“@mike2x_03x: @_Anara_ they are idiots ! We all know what you meant! Fuck the national team and that stupid coach! Nasri is a great player”— Anara (@_Anara_) May 13, 2014
"The unanimous feedback confirmed that the entire France condemned such remarks. FFF believes that the unanimous indignation is enough to condemn such behaviour."
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[/spoiler]Website duly updated ;)
http://www.sincearsenallastwonatrophy.co.uk/
Liverpool are looking at a £10m deal for Bayer Leverkusen's German U-21 international midfielder Emre Can, 20.DSSC
West Ham and Southampton are battling to sign Nice's £8m-rated left back Timothee Kolodziejczak, 22 while Crystal Palace are also interested. Daily Mirror
Italian side Juventus are keen to sign Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, 33, on a two-year contract after holding talks over the weekend with the Frenchman, who was reportedly spotted in Turin on Friday ahead of proposed medical tests and negotiations. DSSC
Swansea are ready to make a bid to sign Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, 24 as they prepare for Michel Vorm's departure. Daily Mirror
Atletico Madrid's on-loan goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, 22, still does not know whether he will return to his parent club Chelsea and challenge Petr Cech for a starting place next season. TalkSHIT
Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi, 32, and Sunderland's Seb Larsson, 28, are both on Hull's summer wish list ahead of their debut in the Europa League.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will sign a new three-year £7.5m-a-year contract and be given £100m transfer kitty. Daily Telegraph
Manchester United plan to confirm Dutchman Louis van Gaal as their new manager on Monday. Sun
Louis van Gaal has dropped a big hint that his fellow Dutchman Robin van Persie, 30, could become his captain at Old Trafford with the position vacant following the departure of Nemanja Vidic. Times
Van Gaal will have the Manchester United stars on a tight leash if he arrives at Old Trafford, according to Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan. TalkSHIT
Paul Lambert is set to remain as manager of Aston Villa, despite owner Randy Lerner putting the club up for sale. Daily Mirror
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, 27, has committed himself to the club by enrolling his four-year-old daughter in a Merseyside school. Daily Express
Wayne Rooney, 28, has described the English media as "disgusting" for being in Portugal to report on the England striker while he is on holiday with his family. Guardian
David Beckham, 39, is being tempted to come out of retirement by Bolivian side Club Bolivar's president Marcelo Claure to play in the Copa Libertadores. Sun
Former Brighton manager Oscar Garcia wants to be the next Southampton manager - if Mauricio Pochettino leaves to join Tottenham. Daily Star
England and Southampton star Adam Lallana is missing his own stag party in Miami so that the 26-year-old can be fit for the World Cup. Sun
Rennes striker Paul-Georges Ntep rubbed salt into the wounds of rivals Reims on the final day of the Ligue 1 season by stopping the ball on the goalline and heading over while on his hands and knees. Metro
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