Man City boss Manuel Pellegrini eyes £25m bid for Arsenal target Julian Draxler
MANCHESTER CITY have added Germany's Julian Draxler to their list of New Year targets.
A Schalke approach for City defender Matija Nastasic prompted the Premier League champions to sound out the German club about £25million-rated Draxler.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini would like first option on wide midfielder Draxler, 21, who has repeatedly been linked with Arsenal.
Draxler is understood to favour a move to the Premier League but has had an
injury-hit season after being part of Germany's World Cup-winning squad.
City, who face Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup today at The Etihad, will sell Nastasic but want £10m.
Schalke, managed by former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo, are trying to reduce the fee to £8m but would prefer a loan first in this month's transfer window, with a view to a summer deal.
Serbia international Nastasic, 21, is out of favour under Pellegrini after being highly regarded by previous City boss Roberto Mancini.
Meanwhile, City's teenage striker Jose Angel Pozo is itching for a chance to put Sheffield Wednesday to the sword - again.
Today's FA Cup tie is a re-match of their Capital One Cup clash in September, which City won 7-0.
Pozo, 18, made his debut and bagged a late goal in that slaughter.
And with Pellegrini nursing injured strikers back to health and keen to rotate his squad, the youngster should get the nod for just his second start.
Pozo said: "Wednesday are a club I always remember because I made my debut against them and scored. It would be fantastic to play them again and re-live a very happy moment for me.
"I did allow myself a smile when we drew them again - but just because we won the Capital One Cup game 7-0, it doesn't mean this won't be a difficult match."
Owls boss Stuart Gray says his side return to the Etihad with hope.
He said: "A tie at Manchester City is something to look forward to. We go there full of confidence and we are looking forward to it and I am hoping to do better than we did last time.
"It is the Cup and there is always a shock."
* Pellegrini's former club Malaga want City starlet Chidi Nwakali, 18, on loan. Fellow Spanish club Valencia, are also eyeing the midfielder, who was a key member of Nigeria's World Cup-winning Under-17s team
MLS accuses Manchester City of ‘error of judgment’ over Frank Lampard deal
Don Garber, the Major League Soccer commissioner, has accused Manchester City of an “error in judgment” in the handling of Frank Lampard’s failed move to New York City FC though denied the American franchise is merely a farm club for the English champions.
City and NYCFC are both owned by Sheikh Mansour, through his parent company, the City Football Group (CFG). Lampard had seemingly moved to City on loan last summer after signing a contract with NYCFC before it emerged last week the midfielder had never agreed any terms with the American franchise.
While it is now thought Lampard actually signed a deal with CFG, the 36-year-old was widely quoted at the time as having joined NYCFC and had an official unveiling for the club in New York.
This led to NYCFC supporters buying season tickets and The Third Rail, an independent supporters group, claiming “outrage” at the decision taken on New Year’s Eve to extend Lampard’s spell at City until the end of the season.
Speaking about the matter for the first time, Garber, who has been in contact with the City and NYCFC chief executive, Ferrano Soriano, regarding the affair, was clear that City were to blame. “If there was an error in judgment on this, it was not just announcing that he would come in July and figuring out how to manage the start of the season, no different than what happened with Robbie Keane or Thierry Henry or David Beckham,” he told Sports Illustrated.
“I could understand why their fans are unhappy, and I do believe [NYCFC] will work hard to build back that trust. They’ve started that process already. I sensed this was coming and it didn’t surprise me when they ultimately made their decision.
“You’re dealing with a very unusual set of circumstances. Frank has become one of the most important players in Man City’s season and he’s scored critical goals to have them tied for first place in the Premier League.
“They were faced with a difficult decision. I’m going to be supportive of all our ownership groups, making them aware of my point of view. But we need to work hard now to move forward and recognise that Frank will be joining this team in July along with other Designated Players, who throughout the history of the Designated Player program have almost always joined in July.
“I think it’s important to say this: These guys [NYCFC] are very committed to MLS and committed to New York .... They have made an unprecedented investment in MLS and New York City, and they are going to continue to do so.”
Garber denied that the manner in which Lampard has been acquired by City indicates NYCFC is merely a feeder club.
“I don’t think it is a farm team for Man City,” he said. “With this decision, while I can understand people will try to think that, the level of investment that this ownership group is making with the club is massive and it rivals some of the bigger clubs around the world.
“This kind of decision is not something in my view that in any way says this is a farm team for Man City. I don’t believe in all my dealings with them that they have led us to believe that’s true.”
Regarding Liverpool’s Stevan Gerrard, who is moving to the MLS when he leaves Liverpool in May, Garber would not be drawn on which franchise the midfielder will join. “Discussions are taking place with his representatives and we expect more details soon. I can’t say anything further than that. Nothing is signed,” he said.
Chelsea and Manchester United have been told they will have to pay £20m if they want to sign Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane, 21. (Daily Express)
Liverpool are set to pay Lille £3m to bring striker Divock Origi back to Anfield this month. The 19-year-old Belgium international is currently on a season-long loan at the French club from Brendan Rodgers's side. (Liverpool Echo)
Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, 34, has turned down an offer worth £18m to play in Qatar when he leaves the Reds at the end of the season. (Sun )
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets, 26, is set to disappoint Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United by signing a new deal with the Spanish side. (Daily Star)
Tottenham are prepared to sell goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, 28, for £25m. (Sun)
Liverpool will make a £23m bid for 21-year-old West Brom striker Saido Berahino — once they can sell unwanted Fabio Borini, 23. (Sun)
However, new West Brom manager Tony Pulis insists he is under no pressure to sell Berahino, even though by doing so he could double his transfer budget. (Daily Telegraph)
Crystal Palace are ready to hijack QPR's bid to sign West Ham forward Mauro Zarate, 27, on loan following the appointment of manager Alan Pardew. (Daily Mirror)
QPR manager Harry Redknapp says his club "need a miracle" if they are to sign a striker in the January transfer window. (Talkshit)
Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Keiren Westwood, 30, has dismissed reports linking him with a move to Liverpool and has said he is happy at the Championship club. (Sheffield Star)
Cardiff City will not sign Chelsea forward Islam Feruz on loan. The 19-year-old had been scheduled to talk to Bluebirds boss Russell Slade on Monday. (Wales Online)
Former England boss Glenn Hoddle is a candidate for the vacant manager's job at Newcastle United. (Newcastle Chronicle)
The Newcastle United Supporters Trust has written to the Football Association and the Premier League questioning the role and future of club owner Mike Ashley. (Daily Telegraph)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has warned the fans who booed him during their FA Cup win over Blackpool that it will not help the team's performances. (Daily Mirror)
Burnley are expecting such a low crowd for Monday's FA Cup third-round tie at home to Tottenham that one of the stands at Turf Moor has been completely shut. (DSSC)
Birmingham City players have expressed their satisfaction at beating Blyth Spartans 3-2 in the third round of the FA Cup after accusing the Northern Premier League side of being "disrespectful". (Birmingham Evening Mail)
Former Liverpool winger John Barnes has dismissed the notion that his side lost the 1988 FA Cup final because they were intimidated by Wimbledon. The Reds face AFC Wimbledon in the third round of the FA Cup on Monday evening. (Daily Telegraph)
The Professional Footballers Association are trying to end "initiation ceremonies", which include players having to sing in front of their team-mates when joining a new club. (DSSC)
A group of Hull City supporters found their day going from bad to worse after the bus taking them home from their 2-0 FA Cup defeat by Arsenal crashed outside the Emirates Stadium. (DSSC)
Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher, 30, says the club's fans have waited "too long" for success in the FA Cup. United, who last won the trophy in 2004, beat Yeovil 2-0 to progress to the fourth round. (Manchester Utd Evening News)
GLOBAL GOSSIP (sourced by BBC monitoring)
Paris St-Germain have not given up the idea of recruiting Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and could be willing to pay a record sum of £164m for the 27-year-old. (L'Equipe)
Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes has said dismissed the possibility of the 29-year-old Real Madrid striker playing for Paris St-Germain, saying it is "impossible". (Le Figaro)
Around 45,000 fans came out at the Vicente Calderon to welcome Atletico Madrid's new signing Fernando Torres, 30. (Marca - in Spanish)
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick posts a picture on WhoSay of him with Stone Roses lead singer Ian Brown. Carrick wrote: "Nice surprise bumping into Ian Brown on a morning stroll."
Arsenal forward Theo Walcott is relieved to be back in the Gunners starting line-up. On 4 January 2014 he was carried off on a stretcher and had only played for 51 minutes since then, before starting Sunday's FA Cup game against Hull. He wrote on Twitter: "One year today since injury - felt great to play 75 minutes and as always a huge thanks for the support."
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba posted a picture on Instagram of the ripped shirt that he had to change during his side's FA Cup win against Watford on Sunday.
Netherlands international midfielder Demy de Zeeuw, 31, has posted an advert on business social networking site LinkedIn in an attempt to find a club. He was released by Belgian side Anderlecht in the summer. (Metro)
more bollox shortly
