Incoming ...

[AG7]

City and Porto have agreed a £16.2m (€20m) deal for defensive midfielder Fernando (26) according to Portuguese journalist Goncalo Lopes ...

The latest theory doing rounds in media in Portugal is that City doing a double deal with Porto but could pay more for Fernando while Mangala's price dropping because Porto own a bigger % of Fernando's rights.

Bacry Sagna on free transfer, witha hefty sign-on bonus for him is also a done deal ... All three deals to be announced soon after the window officially opens on July 1st.

[Bianchi on Ice]

fernando I like. Another heat seeker in the middle

[Ted Hughes]

What a potentially monstrous centre midfield this would be.

I have never seen much of this guy live, but he looks like bigger, more creative, Supernigel on Youtube etc. He looks to me like someone who could also play centre back.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

If these three transfers happen I'll be chuffed to bits. All strengthen the squad exactly where it needs strengthening.

[phips]

so would we be a 4-3-3?

Hart
Zaba VK ? ?
Fernandinho Yaya Fernando
Silva Striker Aguero?

[twosips]

I think we'd just see a lot more rotation, as well as the odd formation change, which will really help the likes of Yaya and Zaba get a rest. I'd not be surprised to see Sagna and Zaba rotate in the way Clichy and Kolarov do, and to be honest i'd be happy with that. Fernando existing to give Yaya or Ferna a rest will be great. Rodwell has been an absolute waste of space in the squad this season.

[Slim]

Hart/Pantilimon
Zabs/(Sagna)--Kompany/Nastasic--(Mangala)/Demi--Kolarov/Clichy
Nasri/Navas--Yaya/Fernandinho--(Fernando)/Garcia--Silva/Milner
Aguero/Jovetic--Dzeko/Negredo

22 players, 3 trained in England and none at our club.

However, sell Pantilimon and replace him with Westwood, sell Nastasic and replace him with Mathais Bossaerts(academy). Sell Garcia, use Barry(£2.5M) and Rodwell(£6M) as makeweight for Barkley and things look a lot better for us.

[Im_Spartacus]

Hart/Pantilimon Zabs/(Sagna)--Kompany/Nastasic--(Mangala)/Demi--Kolarov/Clichy Nasri/Navas--Yaya/Fernandinho--(Fernando)/Garcia--Silva/Milner Aguero/Jovetic--Dzeko/Negredo 22 players, 3 trained in England and none at our club. However, sell Pantilimon and replace him with Westwood, sell Nastasic and replace him with Mathais Bossaerts(academy). Sell Garcia, use Barry(£2.5M) and Rodwell(£6M) as makeweight for Barkley and things look a lot better for us.

Why would Barry have any value as a makeweight?

[Hutch's Shoulder]

Why would Barry have any value as a makeweight?

If he signs for Everton they have to pay us 2.5m under the terms of his loan; to anyone else he is free

[Ted Hughes]

Hart/Pantilimon
Zabs/(Sagna)--Kompany/Nastasic--(Mangala)/Demi--Kolarov/Clichy
Nasri/Navas--Yaya/Fernandinho--(Fernando)/Garcia--Silva/Milner
Aguero/Jovetic--Dzeko/Negredo

22 players, 3 trained in England and none at our club.

However, sell Pantilimon and replace him with Westwood, sell Nastasic and replace him with Mathais Bossaerts(academy). Sell Garcia, use Barry(£2.5M) and Rodwell(£6M) as makeweight for Barkley and things look a lot better for us.

Wouldn't be Bossaerts, perhaps you were thinking of Jason Denayer ? Denayer= great prospect but not ready as a cb yet imo. Needs to play v grown ups for a while & see how he does. May have no choice but to fast track him through though.

None of the kids playing centre back are currently as good as Nastasic imo & none good enough for the first team. Rekik is closest physically but he is similar paced to Stephen Jordan. If we let Nasti go, we would ideally have to sign.

Just looking at that squad, it again seems utterly bizarre we are letting Lescott go. Also, no point at all getting rid of Rodwell unless it's for a qualified replacement. Also Rodwell is emergency cover for cb. Same with Micah, but it seems it's him who is leaving rather than being dumped.

Nastasic could be registered to play in the Prem (was U21 before 1st Jan) & left out of the Champs League (doesn't qualify as U21).

Anyhow, out of that 19 who don't qualify fully, you would think that the players in consideration for the drop are: Pantillimon, Nastasic, Kolarov, Garcia, Jovetic, Negredo.

Two of those have to go if we sign Fernando, Mangala & Sagna.

Then, unles we sign 'home produced' every player we bring in, means one is leaving.

Fabregas becomes very very tempting, as imo does Ashley Cole (sorry but he does).

[lets all have a disco]

We still need another creative mid to cover for when Silva isnt fit.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

We still need another creative mid to cover for when Silva isnt fit.

Depends. He may consider navas and Nasri enough if there is more opportunity to push yaya up further next season.

[lets all have a disco]

We still need another creative mid to cover for when Silva isnt fit.

Depends. He may consider navas and Nasri enough if there is more opportunity to push yaya up further next season.

Totally different kind of players we do need another player 'like' him.

Fuck FFP.

Get Barkley.

[Ted Hughes]

We still need another creative mid to cover for when Silva isnt fit.

Depends. He may consider navas and Nasri enough if there is more opportunity to push yaya up further next season.

Possibly why we are chasing/signing Fernando ?

Don't know if anyone read Yaya's recent interview, but he said that playing the role he had at Barca was 'boring' & that his favourite position is actually 'number 10' . He said Mancini remembered him from Monaco doing that & let him go forward more. Obviously wants even more of it though.

So those of us who, three years ago, were advocating taking away Yaya's defensive responsibilities & just letting him just play, were actually asking for the same thing he prefers, rather than the role he is often asked to play.

Souness, Redknapp etc were saying on Monday, that we have to be very careful with Yaya due to his age, pointing out that he is obviously much quicker & better going forward than going back, & that we need to let him do that & take the weight of chasing back off him as he gets older, or we run the risk of knackering him out.

Perhaps we are already planning for that ?

[Bianchi on Ice]

We still need another creative mid to cover for when Silva isnt fit.

Depends. He may consider navas and Nasri enough if there is more opportunity to push yaya up further next season.

Possibly why we are chasing/signing Fernando ?

Don't know if anyone read Yaya's recent interview, but he said that playing the role he had at Barca was 'boring' & that his favourite position is actually 'number 10' . He said Mancini remembered him from Monaco doing that & let him go forward more. Obviously wants even more of it though.

So those of us who, three years ago, were advocating taking away Yaya's defensive responsibilities & just letting him just play, were actually asking for the same thing he prefers, rather than the role he is often asked to play.

Souness, Redknapp etc were saying on Monday, that we have to be very careful with Yaya due to his age, pointing out that he is obviously much quicker & better going forward than going back, & that we need to let him do that & take the weight of chasing back off him as he gets older, or we run the risk of knackering him out.

Perhaps we are already planning for that ?

makes perfect sense. Fernandinho and Fernando to do the covering and closing, Yaya as the driver

[Hazy2]

Add Shaw and Barkley , Jose will resign.

[Moonchesteri]

We still need another creative mid to cover for when Silva isnt fit.

Ideally for me this lad would be a promising youngster, an understudy for Silva to grow into the role who would then reach his peak once Silva eventually leaves. probably not gonna happen but one can always hope

[lets all have a disco]

Add Shaw and Barkley , Jose will resign.

Alberto Moreno is the Spanish Luke Shaw.

[Hazy2]

Add Shaw and Barkley , Jose will resign.

Alberto Moreno is the Spanish Luke Shaw.

I like the AM Left back. point is if we build on the quality we have Jose, Louis the Turd will be fucked before they start.

[Ted Hughes]

We still need another creative mid to cover for when Silva isnt fit.

Ideally for me this lad would be a promising youngster, an understudy for Silva to grow into the role who would then reach his peak once Silva eventually leaves. probably not gonna happen but one can always hope

I'm very very optimistic we will bring through at least one of those, we have a bunch of possibles through the lower age groups but I doubt it will be for a few years. If Silva plays on to veteran stage, we may time it just right, but even Silva took time & games, to become the player he is now.

Pozo is the nearest from the current group, but he is more of a No 10, & has missed loads of game time through injury. Hopefully he gets back his potential, as I recon he was a better prospect than Lopes 15 months ago.