We’re homing in on the next round of Barclays Premier League games this weekend, with City preparing to host Swansea at the Etihad however there’s still a jam-packed schedule of international games to come over the next few days before attentions can fully return to domestic action.
And with that, let’s take a Tuesday dip into the paper and pixelated pages of the world’s media to see what City-centric news and hearsay we can uncover for you today.
The Daily Star kick-off proceedings claiming that City are keeping more than a close eye on Gareth Bale’s situation at Real Madrid and make consider a weighty bid for the flying Welshman next summer.
“The former Tottenham star is likely to be on (City’s) wanted list due to his status as one of the world's most deadly attacking players.
“City's bitter rivals Manchester United are keen on Bale but Real are likely to demand goalkeeper David De Gea in part exchange.
“Chelsea are also watching Bale's situation at the Spanish club and will also move if he is up for grabs.
“However, City's financial power is likely to mean they could meet Real's £90m valuation.
“Worries over Financial Fair Play would be allayed by numerous departures during what is likely to be a busy transfer window at the Etihad next summer.”
Don’t get excited at the prospect of seeing Bale gracing the famous sky blue next season quite yet, City fans:
“Bale's agent David Manasseh recently played down the transfer speculation.
“He said: "Rubbish! Rumours of a of a possible transfer of Gareth Bale are absolute garbage!
“"It is simply not true that Gareth Bale wants to return to the Premier League in any way. Things are going well in Madrid and he wants to continue playing for Madrid."”
Ah, okay, then…
Elsewhere, Manchester is preparing itself for the Messi v Ronaldo show tonight at Old Trafford as Argentina take on Portugal.
The Albiceleste have been making use of the facilities of City’s Carrington Training Centre for the past few days – home from home for Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis and Willy Caballero – however seeing the likes of Lionel Messi up close and even getting the chance to train with him has been an exciting opportunity for some of City’s EDS stars.
George Evans and Angelino are two of a number of City youngsters asked to make-up the numbers in a game of knock-out with the Argentina squad earlier this week and it’s clear both were thrilled with the opportunity.
The DSSC reckon Evans, who made 25 loan appearances for Crewe on last season could be edging towards a spell by the seaside at Blackpool.
“Evans is a central midfielder and has yet to make his first-team debut for City, but has been on the bench in the Champions League and Capital One Cup in the last 12 months.
“City are happy to loan out Evans so that the England Under 20 international can get some valuable first-team experience under his belt”
The Manchester Evening News carry an interview with 17 year-old Angelino as the Spanish full-back describes how it felt to mark Lionel Messi in training.
““I couldn’t believe I was defending against Messi. I didn’t get any tackles in - I didn’t want to injure him. But he is the best.
““We were all impressed with Messi - at one point he turned with the ball and dribbled past six, seven players!”
““It was a great experience for me to train with one of the best players in the world.
““We didn’t expect this, and it was great to see all of those big stars training with us.
““Messi talked to me about my family and stuff, and the left back was talking to me about my position, when I need to go forward, and when not,
““I have had chances to train with the first team, and then I was really nervous - these are players who play in World Cup finals, so you expect them to be good."”
Carlos Tevez back at Manchester City
Former Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has returned to the club's training ground with Argentina.
The forward is preparing for their international fixture with Portugal at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, where he will go head-to-head with ex-Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Tevez famously left United to join rivals City, prompting the now infamous 'Welcome to Manchester' billboards of him wearing sky blue.
Tevez was snapped back at City's Carrington training complex along with teammates Lionel Messi and Angel di Maria.
It is the second leg of Tevez's unexpected tour of his old grounds, with him making an appearance against Croatia at the weekend at West Ham's Upton Park.
His form for Juventus has seen him win an international recall for the first time since 2011, when he was at City.
Liverpool to stop Raheem Sterling joining Chelsea or Man City
Liverpool will reportedly insist that Raheem Sterling’s new contract has a £55m buy-out clause that only applies to foreign clubs to stop Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea snatching him.
The 19-year-old, who was linked with a move to Real Madrid recently, has been involved in protracted negotiations over a new deal that will see him commit his future to the club, the Mail says.
The Reds are wary of big spending English clubs and will insist on the clause in the deal that would see a huge profit on a player who cost just £1m from QPR in 2010.
The club’s owner John W Henry was adamant when Luis Suarez wanted to leave in 2013 that he would not be sold to a domestic rival – with Arsenal thwarted in their attempts.
Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre contacted Sterling’s camp about holding new contract talks last month after the player had been linked with Real.
Sterling has indicated he will stay at Anfield but the club want an agreement on their terms.
Blackpool eye Manchester City starlet George Evans on loan
Sky Sports understands Manchester City youngster George Evans is training at Blackpool ahead of a possible loan move to Bloomfield Road.
Evans is highly-regarded within the corridors of power at Manchester City having progressed through the club's Academy.
The central midfielder has yet to make his first-team debut for City, but has been on the bench in the Champions League and Capital One Cup in the last 12 months.
Evans also enjoyed a successful spell on loan at Crewe last season, making 25 appearances for the Railwaymen in League One.
City are happy to loan out Evans so that the England Under 20 international can get some valuable first-team experience under his belt.
Blackpool boss Lee Clark is keen to bolster his squad and he sees Evans as a key addition to his side as he looks to lift them clear of the relegation zone in the Championship.
Manchester City will rival Manchester United in £90million battle over Real Madrid star Gareth Bale
Manchester City and Manchester United will renew rivalries in the pursuit of Gareth Bale, who can leave Real Madrid for £90million.
That is according to reports in Spain, who claim that big-spending City have now joined Chelsea and United in the race for the Welshman.
United have been told they are in pole position to land Bale – but only if they include Spanish keeper David De Gea in the deal.
Manchester City should use this goal machine instead of selling him to Celtic
After winning the title last season, Manchester City were hit with a £50m fine for failing to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, leading to a more reserved summer transfer activity from Manuel Pellegrini's side.
In came Willy Caballero, Bacary Sagna, Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando and Frank Lampard, but their respectively modest spending made them second favourites to Chelsea in the title odds.
So far, it's clear that City have dropped a peg or two, and they already sit eight points behind leaders Chelsea after just 11 games of the season.
A problem for City has been a lack of support for Sergio Aguero, with the Argentine scoring 14 of City's 22 goals so far this season.
Pellegrini chose to let Alvaro Negredo leave for Valencia on loan, and didn't bring in any cover - which has hit them with the injury to Stevan Jovetic, leaving Aguero and Edin Dzeko as their only striking options.
A January addition in the striking department is vital, but they may already have their solution in the ranks - John Guidetti.
The Swede signed for City back in 2008, but has played just once for the club, going out on loan to Brommapojkarna, Burnley, Feyenoord, Stoke City and now Celtic.
Prolific with Feyenoord, Guidetti has continued to impress in front of goal with Celtic, smashing nine goals in ten games, and prompting rumours of a permanent move to Glasgow.
A fee of around £3m to £5m has been speculated, but given City's troubles up top, Pellegrini should be considering keeping him at the Etihad Stadium rather than selling him on.
Rumours have suggested that City can recall him in January, and whilst many thought that would be to sell him on for big money after his exploits with Celtic, it should be to use him in the City side.
At 22, Guidetti could play a supplemental role behind the bigger names at the club, but it's clear that Guidetti has exceptional prowess in front of goal and bags of potential, and that's something City should be keeping hold of rather than selling for just £3m.
It would be a blow for Celtic to lose him, but that is always the risk when you bring in a young player on loan - but whether City will put their faith in a youngster rather than a renowned star remains to be seen.
BELCHER BOLLOX
Atletico Madrid's Koke on the Radar?
Manchester City's season hasn't gotten off to the best of starts. A shaky run of form has seen them slip to third in the Premier League, last in their Champions League group and out of the League Cup. As such, it's only natural that the transfer carousel takes them for a ride
Jamie Anderson of the Daily Express has thrown his hat into the ring, suggesting City are in for Atletico Madrid starlet Koke. The 22-year-old is enjoying a fine season in the Spanish capital, and Anderson suggests both City and Chelsea could activate the player's £48 million release clause.
That's a lofty fee, especially for a player as young as Koke, but he's shown the potential to justify such a price tag.
Despite his age, he already has 15 senior caps for Spain. He featured in two of his side's three World Cup matches, including a start, as the then-defending champions crashed out at the group stage. With a changing of the guard underway for La Roja, Koke looks to be a long-term fixture in the setup.
So how would this player fit into the current City setup?
Normally, Koke is deployed as a left-sided midfielder. WhoScored.com has cited his crossing ability as one of his strongest attributes, which has contributed largely to his astonishing haul of 11 assists in 15 games across La Liga and Champions League play.
He's not a full-on attacking midfielder like his compatriot David Silva, as he contributes regularly tracking back. His 2.6 tackles per game, per WhoScored, ranks him highly among Atleti's regular players. In a way, he's not unlike James Milner but maybe with a little more flair.
Milner himself has been in solid form this season, making him a regular fixture in Manuel Pellegrini's side. Some of this has been borne from injuries to Silva and Samir Nasri, but he's regularly justified his continued inclusion.
However, Anderson noted in his report that Pellegrini might look to "galvanise [City's] stuttering squad, and the flair of Koke combined with David Silva could be just the remedy." That certainly sounds like an intriguing prospect, but it's tough to see that happening in Pellegrini's favored two-striker setup.
For starters, Silva's left-footed style would seem to plug that wide-left hole. Either could be moved inside should Pellegrini opt for a 4-2-3-1, with Nasri, Milner or Jesus Navas on the right. In a 4-4-2, having Koke and Silva as the wide midfielders together might not be the best option.
Largely, this is because Silva would be more inclined to play inside so as to favor his left side, limiting the width of the attack. Pablo Zabaleta adds some element of that, but it's not enough to make it a consistent threat.
In theory, Koke could play a deeper central role to allow for Silva out left and someone else opposite him, but the glut of central midfield talent might prevent this. Koke's defensive abilities might make him a decent partner for Yaya Toure, but it would be a waste of his attacking prowess.
Partnering the Spaniard with Fernando or Fernandinho would make for that good mix of bite and flair in the middle but leaving Toure out might not sit well with various parties involved. If only one striker is being used, again, this problem can be avoided.
Realistically, while Koke is an undeniable rising star, any move for him before July doesn't seem plausible. City still have to worry about Financial Fair Play and various home-grown player regulations, plus he might not fit into the current team dynamic.
Additionally, if City are to make transfer moves in the near future, they have far more pressing areas to address. The inconsistencies in defense are troubling, with B/R's Rob Pollard singling out the left-back spot as one that needs immediate improvement.
On top of it all, will Atleti be willing to sell?
Just this summer, as they lost prized attacker Diego Costa to Chelsea, Koke extended his contract with the club until 2019. With Barcelona and Real Madrid still strong and Valencia growing under new owner Peter Lim, Atleti will be keen to hold on to him and stay competitive.
The Atleti-Chelsea connection—which has also involved Filipe Luis and Thibaut Courtois—may come into play in the end, however, with a hefty sum perhaps too much to turn down.
Should City pull the trigger on this move to beat out their rivals, it would be a bright move for the future. But with plenty of attacking talent in tow and more important needs to worry about, this might stick in the rumor mill.
Juventus consider Nastasic option
Juventus are believed to have made Matija Nastasić their top defensive target in January with Andrea Barzagli’s return date still unknown.
The Bianconeri’s director general Giuseppe Marotta yesterday professed optimism about Barzagli’s return, but did admit that the Turin side are evaluating options in January.
This morning Turin-based newspaper La Stampa - owned by the Agnelli family which also controls Juventus - has identified a number of central defenders which it believes the Old Lady are tracking.
The Bianconeri’s number one target is reported to be Matija Nastasić of Manchester City. The 21-year-old former Fiorentina defender has not featured for the English champions this season and the newspaper believes the Serb could be available for around €5m.
Other options include Semih Kaya who is said to be unhappy at Galatasaray, Stefan Savic of Fiorentina and Tottenham’s Vlad Chiriches who has been heavily linked with a move to Turin in recent weeks.
The final option for the Serie A champions would be recalling Daniele Rugani from his loan spell at Empoli, but La Stampa believes this would be difficult as the agreement runs until June.
Gus Poyet’s praise for former Manchester City star Costel
The giant Romanian goalkeeper has finally broken into the first team in the last couple of Premier League games - impressing both in the win at Crystal Palace and draw against Everton.
But having joined the Black Cats in the summer from Premier League champions Manchester City, Pantilimon might have expected to go into the team from the very start of the season rather than wait until November for his opportunity.
And Poyet says that when Player of the Season Vito Mannone barred his way into the first team, Pantilimon showed the right attitude in getting over his disappointment and prove himself continually in training.
“Costel has done well,” said the Sunderland head coach. “He was ready to come in.
“I brought Costel to the club and I have to say that I told him before he came that I couldn’t promise him to play.
“He was leaving Man City and he was looking for a place to go and play, and I warned: ‘if you want it easy, this is not the place’.
“But he knew, he came, he did well in pre-season and thought he had a chance.
“The manager decided ‘no’, but he took it and he waited.”
Poyet said choosing between his goalkeepers has been one of the more difficult decisions of the campaign so far.
But he feels he was right to put Vito in when he did and right to give Costel his opportunity too.
“It’s one of the challenges we faced at the beginning of the season,” he said.
“It was important at the beginning to put Vito on and then of course it was a hard decision to change it.
“But we always have to look for the benefit of the team and it was time to make that change.
“I think, of course, Costel wanted to play when he got here – which was good.
“Then he was upset when he didn’t – which was also good.
“But then he got on with it professionally and to be honest, in training he was outstanding and we were looking for that.
“Then, he needed to perform in the games themselves and he has certainly done that.”
Mannone had an extended run in the side at the start of the current campaign, an opportunity he earned on the back of an outstanding debut season at Sunderland.
But now that Pantilimon has the gloves, the Romanian could be set for a long stay in the first team with Poyet acknowledging that it is usually his preference to keep a settled side.
“There are positions on the pitch that you try not to change a lot,” he explained.
“But we have had to change – we changed the keeper, we had to change with Wes Brown previously, with Lee Cattermole for our last game…
“That doesn’t bring consistency – which is what we need to have.
“So the opportunity is clear for the players: if they play well, they have a great chance of staying in the first team.”
Arsenal may make a £5m move for Croatia international Marcelo Brozovic, 21, after scouting the Dinamo Zagreb midfielder during their Euro 2016 qualifier against Italy. (Daily Mirror)
The Gunners are also interested Sevilla's £24m-rated Poland midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak but face competition from Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund for the 24-year-old's signature. (Daily Express)
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has no intention of letting Germany striker Lukas Podolski, 29, leave in the January transfer window. (Bein Sports)
Crystal Palace and Sunderland are tracking the progress of 24-year-old Senegal international Stephane Badji, who has a £600,000 release clause with Norwegian club SK Brann. (DSSC)
Bayern Munich are expecting to receive a January bid for Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri, 23, with Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham among those interested. (Daily Star)
Napoli boss Rafael Benitez has ruled out a January move for Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, 24, calling it a "hypothesis that I have never considered". (Liverpool Echo)
Liverpool and Arsenal face competition from Dynamo Moscow for 28-year-old Marseille striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who is out of contract next summer. (Talksport)
England striker Wayne Rooney, 29, has ordered his team-mates not to be scared of Scotland in their friendly at Celtic Park. (Daily Star)
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan says his team cannot be considered physical in their approach because "most of us" are "only five feet six". (Daily Record)
Strachan says leading players should be able to handle featuring in up to 60 games per year. (Sun)
All police leave in Glasgow has been cancelled ahead of the city's biggest security operation at a sporting event this century. (Times)
Scotland's Hull City full-back Andrew Robertson, 20, used to work at Hampden Park when he was 16, handing out match programmes in the lounges. (DSSC)
England manager Roy Hodgson believes it is important his side stay adaptable after using the diamond formation in recent matches. (Independent)
Celtic coach Stevie Woods says goalkeeper Craig Gordon, 31, proves people wrong every time he plays, having been without a club for two years after two years. (Guardian)
Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 23, believes the Gunners can turn their season around in five days as they prepare to play Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund. (Daily Star)
The Gambling Commission has warned the Football Association about the dangers of sponsorship deals between Premier League clubs and unlicensed overseas gambling firms. (Independent)
Former England boss Fabio Capello could be sacked as Russia manager after Tuesday night's friendly against Hungary. (Sun)
Manchester United are facing an injury crisis with 10 first-team players set to be unavailable for Saturday's clash with Arsenal. (Independent)
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has warned Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas and striker Diego Costa that their places in the national team are not guaranteed following their absence from the latest squad through injury . (Times)
Manchester United are considering a post-season tour of the Far East or India as the club prepares to reveal the financial cost of missing out on the Champions League with the release of quarterly figures for the opening months of this campaign. (Daily Telegraph)
Former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has strongly hinted he will leave Italian club Napoli at the end of the season to rejoin his family on Merseyside, fuelling speculation of a possible Anfield return . (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is expected to be available for their trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday despite pulling out of the Italy squad with a hamstring injury. (Guardian)
Jack Wilshere posted a picture on his Instagram of his England team-mates closely huddled together on a bus to their aeroplane ahead of their flight to Glasgow for the friendly with Scotland with the message "Glasgow here we come! @alexoxchamberlain @chambers1995 @nathaniel_clyne #Welbz #Hendo".
Belgium international Dries Mertens has given an encouraging bulletin on his health after he was knocked out in his side's clash with Wales on Sunday. The forward posted a picture of himself on his Twitter account giving the thumbs up from his hospital bed.
An England fan's experience of their 3-1 win over Slovenia at Wembley last week was ruined after his view was blocked by a butler delivering 16-inch hot dogs to fellow supporters. (Metro)
MORE BOLLOX VERY SOON
