Manchester City hold talks with agent of Málaga's Manuel Pellegrini
• Manchester City's director of football flies to Madrid
• Málaga coach Pellegrini tipped to replace Roberto Mancini
Txiki Begiristain, Manchester City's director of football, has met the agent of Manuel Pellegrini, the Málaga coach who is a favoured option to replace Roberto Mancini should the Italian leave the club.
Begiristain had lunch with Jesús Martínez in Madrid on Monday but it is understood that, as the agent also represents numerous players, the meeting may have been of a more general nature.
Mancini's future at City is the balance, with the hierarchy waiting for the end of the season to assess his long-term future at the club. With the FA Cup final at Wembley on 11 May against Wigan Athletic to come, Mancini could claim the third major trophy of his three full seasons at City to follow last season's Premier League title and the Cup triumph in 2011.
If this occurred and the club finished second as they should – City lead Chelsea by six points with only four matches left – then Mancini's hand would be considerably strengthened.
However, even in this scenario he will have to travel to Abu Dhabi immediately after the season ends for discussions with Begiristain, Ferran Soriano, the chief executive, and the chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, regarding his position.
Although Mancini still holds considerable power at the club, it is Begiristain and Soriano who have begun driving City's long-term strategy, with the pair behind the potential introduction of a new 4-3-3 playing formation for next season, and they are also working closely together on bolstering the squad this summer.
Mancini has consistently stated that City should not repeat the mistakes of last year when the club failed to land four of his five first choices, which included Robin van Persie and Eden Hazard.
Last week he said: "From now to 30 August we [must] work well and not like last year. Maybe we can do better because for two years we worked well, we had our targets and we got our targets. It's not important only to work well on the pitch, it's important you start to work well. It's important not to make a mistake on new players. We need to do everything well."
Chelsea have expressed an interest in Pellegrini potentially replacing Rafael Benítez this summer, with the Chilean suggesting he may leave Málaga in the close season, due to uncertainty at the club, who fell behind in paying his salary.
Joleon Lescott, Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko all heading for Manchester City summer exit
Manchester City are planning a major summer clear-out with Roberto Mancini determined to shake up his squad in a bid to wrestle the Premier League title back from rivals United.
Defenders Joleon Lescott and Maicon, midfielders Samir Nasri and Scott Sinclair, as well as striker Edin Dzeko are all expected to be pushed out of the exit door at the Etihad Stadium in a bid to make room for new blood.
Mancini blames his side’s failure to defend their crown this season on the fact the club missed out on their main transfer targets last summer.
The Italian wanted to bring in Robin van Persie, Javi Martinez, Eden Hazard and Daniele di Rossi, but instead ended up with Jack Rodwell, Matija Nastasic, Maicon, Sinclair and Javi Garcia to mixed success.
He is determined the same mistakes will not be made this time around and hopes a clear-out of the club’s dead wood will persuade the board to stump up the cash for a big money move for Napoli’s Edison Cavani – who has a £52million release clause.
Everton’s Marouane Fellaini, Atletico Madrid forward Radamel Falcao and Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben are others on City’s radar.
‘It is important that we know that last year we didn’t work well and we are hoping that this year we can,’ said Mancini.
‘We are at the end of this championship. We have time, but not a lot of time. We should have our targets in mind. You should move very quickly.
‘We didn’t do this last year. We moved so slowly. We lost the players that were our targets to improve our team.’ Metro
Manchester City to launch ambitious €38m Reus raid
The Premier League club will make a formal double-your-money offer for the Dortmund star in the next 10 days, although the 23-year-old would rather stay in Germany
Manchester City will launch an ambitious €38 million bid for Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus before the end of the season, Goal.com can reveal.
The Premier League side are preparing a package that will double Reus' €71,000-a-week wages and will make a formal offer to Dortmund in the next 10 days.
It's unlikely that there will be a scenario that will see Marco Reus leave Dortmund this summer. It's true that he will be losing his best friend, Mario Gotze, who has agreed to join Bayern Munich, but he remains committed to the club.
With Gotze leaving, Jurgen Klopp is obviously keen to keep his remaining star players, including Reus and Mats Hummels, with the former enjoying a productive 2012-13 season. Reus has certainly proved that he is well worth the €17.1m that Dortmund paid to sign him last summer and, while Manchester City have an ambitious project that could be tempting for him, he is the type of player who needs a settled environment and that should see him stay in Germany.
The 23-year-old attacking midfielder is understood to be reluctant to leave the German club just a year after joining from Borussia Monchengladbach - but City will test their resolve with a big-money bid.
City's director of football, Txiki Begiristain, is determined to complete the club's transfer business early this season and has targeted a number of marquee signings, with Napoli striker Edinson Cavani the top target.
Reus has been identified by Begiristain as a player who would boost the 2011-12 champions' chances of winning the Premier League title next season after they missed out to bitter rivals Manchester United this term.
The likes of Brazilian star Neymar and Paris Saint-Germain forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic are also on City's radar as they plan a major summer overhaul of the playing squad, with a number of highly paid players potentially leaving the Etihad Stadium including Edin Dzeko, Samir Nasri and Joleon Lescott.
"Manchester City are determined not to repeat the mistakes of the 2012 summer transfer window and have drawn up a hitlist well in advance of the end of the season," a source close to the club told Goal.com.
"Reus is one player the club are committed to going all guns blazing for very soon. They are determined to test Dortmund - and the player's - resolve with a fantastic offer."
Dortmund would be reluctant to cash in on the Germany international with Mario Gotze moving to Bayern Munich this summer in a €37m deal and speculation over the future of striker Robert Lewandowski remaining uncertain.
Reus has enjoyed a sparkling season since his €17.1m move to Dortmund last summer, scoring 22 goals and providing 18 assists for the Champions League semi-finalists.
Reus has four years remaining on his contract at Signal Iduna Park and is a childhood Dortmund fan - he was on the club's books as a youth player and chose them over Bayern Munich last summer.
But he could be tempted by City's huge double-your-money offer even though he would prefer to stay in the Bundesliga next season to boost his chances of featuring for Germany at the World Cup in 2014.
New York Blues: City try to crack American market
Club close to huge commercial breakthrough in States with $100m deal to buy Major League Soccer franchise
Manchester City are poised for a potentially huge commercial breakthrough in the United States, as the club's Abu Dhabi owners prepare a $100m (£65m) deal to buy a New York Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise.
The Independent revealed two months ago that City have been investigating partnering with clubs in the States, Mexico, China and elsewhere in Asia, as a way of developing their brand, with the possibility that North America may be the location for the most ambitious project. City's game against Chelsea in New York's Yankee Stadium on 25 May now appears to be the moment when Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan could announce the conclusion of final negotiations for an MLS franchise, located in Queens.
Last night, City would not discuss the deal, which is understood not to be completed at this stage, with secret negotiations still ongoing and no guarantees of success. But the owners will not enter MLS by half-measures – and will seek to make a hugely ambitious impact, if final talks progress as expected. Sources in the United States suggested yesterday that Sheikh Mansour was ready to field the MLS's 20th team, which could be called New York City FC and would enter the league from 2016.
The franchise would give the owners a huge commercial opportunity to begin aggressively pushing the City brand in New York – where the notion of a presence for the club was first floated by former chief executive Garry Cook three years ago and where City have a strong community presence.
With Manchester United continuing to wield huge financial power and now listed on the New York Stock Exchange, City's chief executive, Ferran Soriano, declared in the club's annual report in December that "new, creative ideas and business models" would be required to undertake a "historic transformation" of the club. While chief executive at Barcelona, Soriano worked on establishing an MLS team in Miami, though he concluded that the salary cap would prevent the Spanish side from excelling the way they had in La Liga.
A New York franchise would also create the chance to develop young players for City and to establish the deposed champions as New York's Premier League team. City's presence there has grown rapidly since a successful summer tour in 2010, when Cook met MLS commissioner Don Garber, who urged him to consider an MLS franchise. City have run football schools in New York ever since, and have put 200,000 children through their City Soccer programme run by Paul Jeffries, with the £500,000 AstroTurf pitch on the roof of a school in Spanish Harlem also part of this effort.
Garber said last week that he hoped to make an announcement about the expansion team in New York in four to six weeks. In 2010, Garber discussed City's ambitions with the Associated Press, saying: "Part of the relaunch of that team [City] is for them to think strategically about their business and where international expansion fits into that, and where the US might fit into that. We've had very preliminary discussions about that. They've got a lot of figuring out to do on their own end in terms of what their international plans are."
The idea of having an MLS team owned by one of the most important football clubs in Europe, who are themselves seeking to dominate the continental game, is seen as a huge boost to attempts to broaden the footprint of the sport in the United States.
Despite the salary cap, an association with wealthy owners who are willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on their teams would represent a major vote of confidence in football's potential in America. There is currently no MLS franchise in New York. Thierry Henry's New York Red Bulls play in nearby New Jersey.
Since Sheikh Mansour arrived relatively late to the Premier League, his executives at City have found it tough to convert his near £1bn investment into the kind of global brand that persuaded Saudi Arabian telecoms firms and Japanese paint manufacturers to pay heavily for an association with Manchester United. Ten years after Roman Abramovich's arrival at Stamford Bridge, and despite winning three domestic titles and a European Cup, Chelsea also still trail United for global reach.
That explains the significance of the New York deal and City's parallel pursuit of partner clubs in China, Mexico, and elsewhere, part of an attempt to drive up the revenues in lightning-fast time. The British domestic potential is limited – more than 70 per cent of the television audience is overseas – so Soriano will do whatever it takes for City to command global recognition. As the strictures created by Uefa's new Financial Fair Play regulations intensify, they need to find new ways of earning income. Independent
Home sick: Carlos Tevez admits Manchester City have priced him out of dream return to Boca Juniors
'Maybe I will return when I am 33. It’s very difficult for any Argentinian club to pay my market value' says Argentine striker
Carlos Tevez admits he has been priced out of a dream move to Boca Juniors.
Argentina superstar Tevez, 29, fears that Manchester City will demand well in excess of £20m if they decide to sell him this summer.
Tevez has made no secret that he would like to return to Boca before he retires but says a move to another European club would be more likely.
Blues striker Tevez, in an interview with Argentinian TV station Canal 9, said: “If it was down to me then I would return tomorrow because I will love Boca until I die.
“Maybe I will return to Boca when I am 33. It’s very difficult for any Argentinian club to pay Manchester City my market value.
“If Milan have offered 20 million Euros to Manchester City when I was in a worse moment of form then what would they pay now?”
Meanwhile, Pablo Zabaleta has admitted Manchester City must win the FA Cup to salvage their season
Manchester City are preparing to offload up to 12 players this summer as part of an extensive overhaul of their squad that could involve as many as six signings. Times
Manchester City want Sampdoria midfielder Pedro Obiang, 21, but face competition from Juventus for the Spain Under-21 international. talkSHIT
Scouting report: Find out all about Manchester City target Diego Novaretti
Mexican football journalists and Liga MX experts Eric Gómez and Tom Marshall give us the lowdown on the Argentine centre-back
Diego Novaretti, who Sky Sport Italia claim to be close to signing for Manchester City, has emerged as one of the Mexican league's top central defenders.
That's high praise indeed given he's playing in a country that has excelled in producing local talent for that very position.
The league that has produced Rafael Marquez, Hector Moreno and newly-appointed Porto signing Diego Reyes can certainly take credit for the development of the Argentine centre back.
The 27-year-old Argentine is an unquestioned leader in the back as well as an aerial threat on set pieces having notched 10 goals since arriving in the Liga MX from Argentina's Belgrano in 2009.
Novaretti's main strength is his consistency, something Manchester City have been sadly lacking in this season.
In over 150 domestic and international matches with Toluca, the defender has only been substituted on twelve times.
Physically speaking, he is definitely a player who is built for the rigors of the Premier League, and to deal with tough, speedy strikers whom he would normally not encounter in the more technical Mexican league.
Fairly quick for a man his 6'4" frame, Novaretti is a rough and tumble defender who is not afraid to use his body to break up attacks.
That, however, is also his main weakness.
Novaretti has picked up eight red cards for Toluca and is often at risk of suspension due to a penchant for accumulating yellow cards and it is fair to say there is nothing subtle about his tackling.
Even so, while he takes no prisoners, it would be a stretch to describe him as reckless.
Despite an early exit from the 2013 Copa Libertadores, the Argentine was a force in the back for Toluca and displayed the type of play that warrants attention from European clubs.
Though in these post-Chicharito days it is still a shock to see a player move directly from the Liga MX to one of the world's top clubs, City fans could be pleasantly surprised with Novaretti if given a chance to crack into their back line rotation.
The emergence of fellow Argentine Jose Maria Basanta for Monterrey and his selection to the national team has definitely raised some eyebrows, but serves as a reminder to South America and Europe that the talent level in the Mexican league is steadily growing.
If reports in Italy are true, the Premier League will soon find that out.
The name Diego Novaretti doesn’t roll off the tongue of Argentine football fans, never mind European ones. The 27-year-old centre back has never appeared for his national team and has played for the last four years in Mexican first division club Toluca, which just happens to have the nickname “The Red Devils.”
So how and why is the Argentine being linked with a club that has the goal of dominating Europe like Manchester City does?
It seems to be a little bit of a mystery.
Novaretti – a tall, physical centre back who is also good with his feet – is a very solid defender, but it would be difficult to say that he is a cut above other centre backs in Mexico’s top division.
What does stand Novaretti in good stead is that he certainly has the physically attributes at 6”4 to compete in the Premier League. He also has the fortunate knack of not getting injured much and has played over 30 matches in each of his last five seasons.
For his size, the media-friendly defender isn’t the slowest, although no-one would say he’s exactly a speed merchant.
Technically, Novaretti is good in possession – as are most defenders in Mexico - but the fundamental concern must be that the Argentine has never played regularly at the very top level and that the jump to Manchester City will be too much.
Not one call-up for Argentina has ever come for Novaretti and in March it was another Mexico-based Argentine center back, Jose Maria Basanta, who plays for Monterrey, who was called into La Albiceleste squad by Alejandro Sabella for his first caps, ahead of Novaretti.
At Toluca, one of Mexico’s better teams, he is one of the leaders in the dressing room and has become one of the stalwarts of the team, picking up one league title with the Red Devils (Diablos Rojos in Spanish) since signing in 2009.
In February, he shone against Boca Juniors as Toluca won 2-1 in the famous Bombonera stadium and although he gave away a penalty, Novaretti was a rock at the back, using his nous to repel Boca attacks. He was also a key figure in Toluca finishing top of the league last season, but the team fell in the final of the playoffs.
In his time in Mexico, Novaretti has played under managers that have alternated between fielding three and four at the back and the Argentine has the awareness and footballing intelligence to be capable in both systems, which could appeal to the experimental City boss Roberto Mancini.
Another asset Novaretti, who wears the No. 2 shirt for Toluca, does possess is the ability to contribute goals, although they haven’t been immediately forthcoming in recent seasons: he has only netted once in his last 69 league games.
On the personality front, Novaretti has had quite a controversial career.
“I say what I feel and what I think, even if it brings problems,” he explained before the return Copa Libertadores game in Mexico against Boca. He went on to complain about the Mexican federation’s lack of support in moving domestic fixture for teams trying to make it far in South America’s continental competition.
In March, Novaretti called a journalist a “coward” for publishing a story that he and Toluca ‘keeper Alfredo Talavera didn’t get on, pointing out that it wasn’t true and that the two players’ families dined together.
‘Nova’ has quite a poor disciplinary record in Mexico, having picked up six red cards in his four seasons in the North America country.
But the biggest controversy for the Cordoba-born Novaretti occurred whilst he was still in Argentina playing for his first club Belgrano in the South American country’s second division.
There, he claims that club directors reneged on an agreement that would see him leave if offers from bigger clubs and abroad came in. Novaretti says Belgrano then told potential suitors that he was not for sale under any circumstances and automatically renewed his contract.
Clearly annoyed, the player used a highly controversial 'triangulation' technique - denounced by Argentine authorities for avoiding taxes - to obtain his registration out the country and to sign for Toluca.
The situation deteriorated last year, when Belgrano's general assembly held a members vote and declared Novaretti a 'persona non grata' at the club, banning him permanently from returning in any capacity.
“Novaretti will be judged by society,” said Belgrano club president Armando Belgrano, who also indicated that legal proceedings within Argentina will continue against the player.
Reports in the Mexican press suggest that Novaretti’s contract with Toluca runs out this summer, making a move to Europe a viable option that will likely leave the Mexican club empty-handed in terms of receiving transfer money.
As for the work visa issue, one report in Mexico implies that he has EU citizenship, while scouting websites suggest that he has an Italian passport – as do many Argentines.
In that regard, Novaretti moving to Europe does make sense, it’s just that few on the other side of the Atlantic would’ve thought it could be to a club as huge as City are today.
Then again, people said the same when a certain Javier Hernandez suddenly popped up on the front of Mexican newspapers wearing a Manchester United shirt.
Helen Flanagan still in a 'fiery' relationship with Scott Sinclair
Ex-Coronation Street actress denies she has broken up with the Manchester City star
Helen Flanagan has denied rumours she's split from Scott Sinclair.
Talking in her latest magazine column for Star, the former Coronation Street actress says she's still with her boyfriend of four years despite all the rumours.
The young actress became centre of break-up speculation last week after it was reported she was set to break off her engagement and move out of their Cheshire home.
She told them: "It's my private business, but we haven't split!"
Despite revealing her relationship is definitely on, Helen does admit it isn't easy.
The young actress confessed she and her Manchester City boyfriend aren't perfect and face all the same problems normal couples go through. She said: "We clash and we have ups and downs, like most couples but people hear about it because we're in the limelight."
Helen also confirmed that her and Scott are 'still living together' and very much in love.
The 22-year-old continued: "We're fiery and have a passionate relationship, but we truly love each other.
"When you find someone you really love, you work through your problems," she finished.
We're couldn't be happier to hear this star is still wrapped up in her romance.
[spoiler]
[/spoiler] Manchester United will have to battle Paris St-Germain to recapture Cristiano Ronaldo, 28, after the the Ligue 1 leaders made Real Madrid a "substantial offer" for the forward. Sun
Tottenham plan to offer £6.5m for 21-year-old Blackpool winger Thomas Ince, who has scored 18 Championship goals this season. Daily Mirror
Bayern Munich want Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, 26, because target Robert Lewandowski, 24, is expected to join Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund. Metro
West Ham will try to buy Everton striker Nikica Jelavic, 27, after deciding the £17m fee to make 24-year-old Andy Carroll's loan move from Liverpool permanent is too high. Daily Mirror
Arsenal are preparing a £10m bid for Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 23, to replace the injury-prone Abou Diaby. Sun
Liverpool want 20-year-old Sporting Lisbon defender Tiago Ilori, who is valued at £1.2m by his club. The Portugal Under-19 international was born in London. DSSC
West Ham are set to sign Romania defender Razvan Rat, 31, on a free transfer this summer. Guardian
Paris St-Germain are confident of hiring Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger as their new manager this summer with Carlo Ancelotti expected to become Real Madrid boss. Daily Telegraph
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich wants to dump John Terry, 32, as the club's captain and replace him with defender David Luiz, 26. Daily Star
Former QPR boss Neil Warnock says the club's bunch of mercenaries have let them down following their relation from the Premier League. talkSHIT
Reading owner Anton Zingarevich insists he has no regrets about sacking Brian McDermott. DSSC
Barnsley cancel their end-of-season awards dinner after only 57 fans bought tickets for the event. The Tykes are in the Championship relegation zone going into the final day. DSSC
Rosenborg striker Nicki Bille Nielsen, 25, ripped his shirt off in anger after not getting a penalty when fouled by Sandnes goalkeeper Sean McDermott. balls.ie
Stranger knifed 11 times ‘over hated Man City shirt’
A TALENTED young piper who was stabbed 11 times on a village street in West Yorkshire was murdered by two strangers who may have targeted him because of his football shirt, a jury has heard.
Craig Hepburn, 19, was stabbed with a 9cm lock knife after leaving a pub in Marsden in an attack which left his 18-year-old friend, Connor Paton, seriously injured in hospital, Leeds Crown Court was told yesterday.
The Scottish teenagers were visiting Craig’s uncle and had travelled from near Paisley, Renfrewshire, arriving only hours before the double stabbing on July 6 last year.
Peter Moulson QC, prosecuting, said Mr Paton tried to help his friend and was stabbed three times. He escaped and “bleeding and struggling for breath”, managed to reach the uncle’s house.
Following emergency surgery, he survived injuries to his liver and lung. But, the court heard, Mr Hepburn died at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary the next day from stab wounds, mainly to his back.
Details of the attack were outlined at the start of the trial of Anthony Driver, 36, and Luke Elliott, 22, who both deny murder and attempted murder. They had never met their alleged victims.
Mr Moulson told the court yesterday that Craig’s Manchester City football shirt, which he was wearing at the time, is “possibly of some significance” in terms of a motive for the attack, following comments made on Facebook.
He said as part of the investigation, police gained access to Mr Driver’s Facebook account.
“In an entry on May 7, two months before the attack, Mr Driver posted ‘I hate City more than the police, haha, and that’s saying summat’”, he said.
“In a police interview the following day, a friend of Mr Driver said he had been told by the defendant they had been in a fight with two Scottish lads the night before and this had started when an argument broke out over football shirts.”
He said Mr Paton had told detectives the incident happened after two men with their hoods up came over and accused them of “looking at them”.
The prosecutor said the teenager described how “Craig was on the floor curled up, trying to protect himself. His legs were curled up to his chest and his arms were protecting his head.”
Driver, of Grange Cottages, Marsden, and Elliott, of Main Avenue, Cowlersley, blame each other for the attack, he told the court.
But he added: “We say Driver and Elliott were in it together.”
The pair also deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and perverting the course of justice after witnesses reported to police that Elliot had cleaned the knife and Driver had said he had thrown a knife into a river.
Mr Moulson told the jury: “Police recovered a knife, which had been washed, containing DNA traces of Mr Hepburn’s blood at a nearby property where the pair were arrested on the morning of July 7 last year.
“Mr Elliott was also seen removing black, blood-stained gloves on the evening of the incident.”
The jury heard how the two visitors had gone out for the evening and, earlier, Mr Hepburn had been playing his bagpipes and engaging in banter.
“Mr Hepburn and Mr Paton were clearly popular additions in the eyes of those enjoying their evening in the pub,” Mr Moulson said. “Mr Hepburn was wearing his Manchester City shirt and there had been some good-natured banter in the pub.”
The pair left shortly before midnight and started to walk back to Craig’s uncle’s home.
The jury were told how they were followed by two men and “aggressive words were exchanged”.
Mr Moulson added: “It must have been clear that Mr Hepburn and Mr Paton were not local to the area. Having stabbed someone 11 times, surely they intended to kill, and did they really intend to leave a witness alive? That is for you to decide.”
The trial continues.
