Mancini: I'll Raid The Reds

[10.Goater_Legend]

ROBERTO MANCINI will make a move for Fernando Torres and Co - if Liverpool finish outside the top four.
The Merseysiders face a cash crisis should they miss out on Champions League football next season.

And Manchester City chief Mancini has the mega-money to bag the Kop's crown jewels.

He said: "If they put Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres on the market, City will be interested.

"We at City will do everything possible to prevent Liverpool from finishing fourth."

Funds are already tight at Anfield and failure to make Europe's elite competition could force the club to sell their prized assets. There ]are worries striker Torres and talismanic skipper Gerrard may quit without the Champions League to play for.

While midfielder Javier Mascherano had looked to leave last summer to join Barcelona.

City would have to shell out more than £100million for Liverpool's biggest names.

But that would not be a problem for the club's billionaire Arab owners.

Mancini admits he needs to bolster his backline in the January window.

He said: "In defence I have so many out injured that there will be some coming and the same in midfield. In attack we don't have problems."

Mancini knows it will be easier to tempt the world's best stars to Eastlands if they qualify for the Champions League.

And he admitted he would love to have Inter Milan full-back Maicon and Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in his ranks after working with them at the San Siro.

Mancini told Italian website francorossi.com: "If City finish in the top four we will look for players of the highest level.

"I would like to have Maicon. With Ibra there's always been a rapport of great loyalty.

"He's world class. Which manager in the world wouldn't like Ibrahimovic?"

He added: "City is the best club in the world for an ambitious manager.

"There are very, very good players there but we must improve as it won't be easy to get to the top four."

This is what I like to hear

[john68]

Shit! I thought from the title that we were gonna drive through the front doors of the swamp at midnight and have it away with the Rag cafe's silver service cutlery.
I was ready to offer to drive.

Still, never mind, the scouse trio in sky blue would compensate for my disappointment.

[RodneyRodney]

Torres I'd take. Not Gerrard . He would cost too much , and wouldn't be the same player without a Liverpool shirt on. Mascherano - how bad do we need ANOTHER defensive-mid ?

[CityFanFromRome]

Torres I'd love to see in a City shirt. As for Maicon, would love him too, but will Inter sell him? Ibra won't leave Barca I think.

As for Gerrard and Mascherano, leave them at Pool, we have De Jong as def midfielder and Gerrard won't be that good away from the Reds.

[Crossie]

I would only take Torres, agreed that Gerard wouldnt be the same player, dont think he would fit in here.

He will go to Chelsea, Arsenal probably couldnt afford him.

I quite like Babbel every time i see him he seems to have an impact, not sure he would make out first 11, but a good player to have in the squad, same with Benayoun, he can change a game.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

What's with the last line quoted? Sounds like getting excuses in :)

[mr_nool]

I would only take Torres, agreed that Gerard wouldnt be the same player, dont think he would fit in here.

He will go to Chelsea, Arsenal probably couldnt afford him.

I quite like Babbel every time i see him he seems to have an impact, not sure he would make out first 11, but a good player to have in the squad, same with Benayoun, he can change a game.

I really don't rate Ryan Babel. He is way too inconsistent, and seems to be one of those players it's impossible to slot into a system.
There's a reason why the Waiter isn't playing him very often.

[Wonderwall]

I would only take Torres, agreed that Gerard wouldnt be the same player, dont think he would fit in here.

He will go to Chelsea, Arsenal probably couldnt afford him.

I quite like Babbel every time i see him he seems to have an impact, not sure he would make out first 11, but a good player to have in the squad, same with Benayoun, he can change a game.

Babel is off in jan as he is being left out of the WC squad as he cannot get regular footy. He is likely to go to spain or back to holland.

Plus he is also shite!

[irblinx]

Don't want any of the scouse crocks thanks, I'm hoping that Mancini might actually look wider than just the Prem

[Ted Hughes]

Gerrard imo is in a similar position to Francis Lee when he left City; he's playing ok with occasional moments of brilliance, he's at the club he loves but he's past his peak, starting to fade as a player & needs a new challenge.

Even though he's on a downward slope, he's got plenty left in him & a change to the right club could re charge his batteries so he can finish his career with a bang & bring PL titles, Chump's lgs etc.

If he stays with the scousers his only hope will be a takeover because they'll get gradually worse otherwise.


Torres is a fantastic player & of course would be a fantastic signing but imo he's a whinging cheat, there's something creepy about him & I hope we find someone else just as good but not him. Just a personal dislike.

[mr_nool]

Gerrard imo is in a similar position to Francis Lee when he left City; he's playing ok with occasional moments of brilliance, he's at the club he loves but he's past his peak, starting to fade as a player & needs a new challenge.

Even though he's on a downward slope, he's got plenty left in him & a change to the right club could re charge his batteries so he can finish his career with a bang & bring PL titles, Chump's lgs etc.

If he stays with the scousers his only hope will be a takeover because they'll get gradually worse otherwise.


Torres is a fantastic player & of course would be a fantastic signing but imo he's a whinging cheat, there's something creepy about him & I hope we find someone else just as good but not him. Just a personal dislike.

I think it's the fact that he's a slightly blonder, male (?) version of Pippi Longstockings.

[Blueboylewis]

Source?

[mr_nool]

Source?

Or was your question aimed at someone else?

[Wooders]

call me mad but I would prefer Villa to Torres

edit

and I reckon we can get him in January

[Dronny]

Sorry but can't agree with those reckoning Gerrard is over the hill, along with Torres, Shrek and Fabregas I can't think of any other players I'd want......wtf am I saying, some defenders as well please!

Anyway, back to Gerrard, it's a no brainer for me.

[avoidconfusion]

call me mad but I would prefer Villa to Torres

edit

and I reckon we can get him in January

You are mad.

Torres is MUCH younger and easily the best striker in the Premier League.

Villa is turning 29 (I think?) and whilst he has a slightly better goals per game ratio he has never played in the Premier League and would hence be a risk.

Please don't get me wrong, it's probably a tie between the two when it comes to "Who is the best striker in the world" but if I had the choice I would pick Torres.

[Fish111]

Torres I'd take. Not Gerrard . He would cost too much , and wouldn't be the same player without a Liverpool shirt on. Mascherano - how bad do we need ANOTHER defensive-mid ?

Agree 100%. Torres definately, wouldn't want the other two. Gerrard is nearly 30 years old and if we came in with £40M for him they'd snap our hands off, i also believe we wouldn't get the lung-bursting runs and the leadership out of him what he shows for Liverpool most weeks. Is Mascharano that much better than NDJ that it'd be worth shelling out over £25M for him? I'm not so sure.

[Curlie]

Torres - yes please
The other two - no thank you

[Swales4ever]

ROBERTO MANCINI will make a move for Fernando Torres and Co - if Liverpool finish outside the top four.
The Merseysiders face a cash crisis should they miss out on Champions League football next season.

And Manchester City chief Mancini has the mega-money to bag the Kop's crown jewels.

He said: "If they put Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres on the market, City will be interested.

"We at City will do everything possible to prevent Liverpool from finishing fourth."

Funds are already tight at Anfield and failure to make Europe's elite competition could force the club to sell their prized assets. There ]are worries striker Torres and talismanic skipper Gerrard may quit without the Champions League to play for.

While midfielder Javier Mascherano had looked to leave last summer to join Barcelona.

City would have to shell out more than £100million for Liverpool's biggest names.

But that would not be a problem for the club's billionaire Arab owners.

Mancini admits he needs to bolster his backline in the January window.

He said: "In defence I have so many out injured that there will be some coming and the same in midfield. In attack we don't have problems."

Mancini knows it will be easier to tempt the world's best stars to Eastlands if they qualify for the Champions League.

And he admitted he would love to have Inter Milan full-back Maicon and Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in his ranks after working with them at the San Siro.

Mancini told Italian website francorossi.com: "If City finish in the top four we will look for players of the highest level.

"I would like to have Maicon. With Ibra there's always been a rapport of great loyalty.

"He's world class. Which manager in the world wouldn't like Ibrahimovic?"

He added: "City is the best club in the world for an ambitious manager.

"There are very, very good players there but we must improve as it won't be easy to get to the top four."

This is what I like to hear

In the case (quite probable - the prob is will they really finish below 4th?) dear JOE_Man_Pal, since now I am appointing U as my agent in order to find out any Kind of legal job, as close as possible to the CoMS, so that I can move even myself there and enjoy.... :-)

GREAT READ, Mate!!!

by the way: Happy first CHAMPION'S LEAGUE year to YOU, family ant all Citizens...:-)
(no need of crossing fingers...)

[irblinx]

call me mad but I would prefer Villa to Torres

edit

and I reckon we can get him in January

You are mad.

Torres is MUCH younger and easily the best striker in the Premier League.

Villa is turning 29 (I think?) and whilst he has a slightly better goals per game ratio he has never played in the Premier League and would hence be a risk.

Please don't get me wrong, it's probably a tie between the two when it comes to "Who is the best striker in the world" but if I had the choice I would pick Torres.

But Torres is made of glass, Villa for me too