Man City deny bidding for Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder

Sneijder's future has been one of the main talking points of pre-season 

 

Manchester City have denied they have agreed to pay £31.4m for Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder after reports surfaced in an Italian newspaper.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Friday that City had signed the 27-year-old Dutch international.
A source at Manchester City has told BBC Sport no bid for Sneijder has been made for the midfielder.
FA Cup holders City play Premier League champions Manchester United in the Community Shield on Sunday at Wembley.
Sneijder scored with a free-kick after being named in Inter Milan's starting line-up against AC Milan as they city rivals contested the Italian Super Cup in Beijing.
AC Milan recovered to win 2-1 with second half goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kevin-Prince Boateng.
The article in La Gazzetta said he would fly to England after the match to begin talks with City.
Inter have also denied any talks have taken place regarding a proposed move to the Premier League for Sneijder.

WESLEY SNEIJDER

Began his career at Ajax in 2002 before moving to Real Madrid in 2007, winning La Liga in his debut season in Spain. Two years later he moved to Inter Milan, winning the Champions League in his first season.

On Thursday, Inter coach Gian Piero Gasperini said: "I think there is a bit of misinformation flying around, in fact a lot. I've realised that when it comes to Inter, people exaggerate situations that don't exist.
"It's normal during the transfer window that there are rumours especially revolving around a club like ours which has great players.
United have been linked with signing Sneijder before the end of the transfer window, but manager Sir Alex Ferguson has consistently denied he has made an offer for the player.
On Monday, after arriving in China, Sneijder was asked about a possible transfer away from Inter Milan.
He replied: "Maybe. I have played in many big competitions in Holland, Spain and Italy and I'm still here.
"What is going to happen we will see but I am a happy guy. There is always a chance something will happen but we will see."

Roberto Mancini says Manchester City squad is too small to win title

Roberto Mancini's top target is Samir Nasri and the Manchester City manager thinks Arsenal's stance is softening.

Roberto Mancini goes into the Community Shield on Sunday believing Manchester United are "five yards" ahead of Manchester City and warning that the Eastlands club can forget about winning the Premier League unless they sign at least two more players.
City have already made the biggest signing of the summer, Sergio Agüero joining from Atlético Madrid for £38m, as well as bringing in two defenders, Gaël Clichy and Stefan Savic, but Mancini still believes the FA Cup winners come up short compared to Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
"They are on the top," Mancini said. "They're a strong team, they won the last Premier League, they have bought good players and at the moment they are over us. We are very close but United have maybe five yards more than us.
"We want to improve on last season and we'll try to win the Premier League but we need two or three more players and, if we can do that, I think we will be very close. But look at United – they have 29 senior players whereas we have 20. To be competitive, we need more. We're missing players, we don't have enough for the whole season and it's a problem. We haven't managed to get all the players we want and it is important we get them now in the next seven days."
Mancini's top target is Samir Nasri, and City's information is that Arsenal's position may be softening and that the London club may, after all, consider selling the Frenchman to another English club. Mancini, however, upset Arsène Wenger earlier in the summer by discussing his pursuit of the player so he was careful not to inflame the situation again. "It's better we don't talk about this," he said.
Costel Pantilimon, a 6ft 8in Romania goalkeeper, became City's fourth signing of the summer on Friday, joining the club for around £1.6m from Timisoara, subject to a work permit, to become Joe Hart's understudy. Alessio Cerci, the Fiorentina winger, is another target and Mancini also wants a central midfielder. "We had five last year but Patrick Vieira has retired now."
City actually have a senior squad of 24 players, even excluding Emmanuel Adebayor, Wayne Bridge, Craig Bellamy, Roque Santa Cruz and Nedum Onuoha, all of whom are training away from the main group because they do not fit into the manager's plans. Mancini made it clear he would not change his mind – "They are good players but not part of our plans," he said – even though he believes City, with their current squad size, may find it difficult to adapt to the rigours of competing for the title as well as playing in Europe.
"We need a good list of players because when you are playing in the Champions League for the first time it is very hard, totally different from the Europa League, and you need to change five, six, even seven players after every Champions League game. Tottenham struggled with this last season and we don't want to have the same problem. It's different for Manchester United, they needed only three [new] players. For them, it is easier."
City also have to clear up Carlos Tevez's position, and Mancini said he could not be certain whether the Argentina striker would remain at the club. Internazionale may be keen on a player-plus-cash exchange involving Samuel Eto'o or Wesley Sneijder. Otherwise, Mancini believes Tevez will return to training on Monday after being given a three-week break to recuperate from the Copa América.
"He's still a City player at the moment. He's a professional and, if he doesn't get another team, he'll play for us and he'll play seriously like last year." The manager spoke to Tevez for the first time in the entire summer on Monday – "His telephone is working again" – and reported that the club captain was "happy" and "told me he would come back".
Mancini believes his side will have to score "10 to 15 more goals than last season" if they want to win the league, an indication that he will be more attack-minded in the new campaign. Agüero, who, was also involved in the Copa América, will be given his debut as a substitute at Wembley, and Ferguson believes Mancini's men could provide the most credible challenge to United in the title race.
"We accept that challenge and it's good for us, as it keeps complacency away from the door," the United manager said.

Sergio Aguero will be on the bench for Community Shield

 
Aguero is one of eight strikers now on Manchester City's books 
 

Manchester City's record signing Sergio Aguero is set to be on the bench for Sunday's Community Shield against Manchester United at Wembley.

The Argentina striker has had blistered feet since his move from Atletico Madrid but is now training as normal.
Fellow new signings Stefan Savic and Gael Clichy will also feature.
Last season's captain and top scorer Carlos Tevez is still on leave after the Copa America and is not expected to report back to the club until Monday.
Manager Roberto Mancini said: "Sergio is OK. He had a problem, but on Thursday he did 20 minutes training.
"I don't think he's 100% ready but he is fit to be on the bench."
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick is likely to miss out after picking up a slight Achilles problem in Edwin van der Sar's testimonial on Wednesday.
Darren Fletcher, Antonio Valencia and Rafael are all back in training while Javier Hernandez will miss the start of the season after he suffered from a concussion last month.
Sir Alex Ferguson said: "Chicharito [Hernandez] won't be involved for maybe another two or three weeks.
"He had a concussion some years ago and we are just playing safe with that but he should be back by the end of August."

Carlos Tevez return to Manchester City training delayed

 
Tevez scored 23 goals for Manchester City last season 
 

Manchester City say they have granted Carlos Tevez extended leave and expect him to report for training on Monday.

It means Tevez will miss Sunday's Community Shield game against former club Manchester United at Wembley.
City had earlier said he was due to return on Thursday, although BBC Sport understands that, as of Wednesday afternoon, Tevez was still abroad.
In June the 27-year-old Argentine said he would never return to Manchester "even on vacation".
He later asked to leave the club for personal reasons but a £40m move to Brazil side Corinthians collapsed.
A City spokesman said there would be a light training session for the whole squad on Monday.
"Carlos has now been given extended leave so he can return on Monday, which is 21 days after Argentina's exit from the Copa America," said the spokesman.

TEVEZ SAGA TIMELINE

• 12 December 2010 - Tevez says he is going to leave Man City
• 20 December 2010 - Withdraws transfer request and commits future to club
• 16 May 2011 - Says he will only stay at club if solution found to "family issues"
• 8 June 2011 - Tevez says he will never return to "small and wet" Manchester
• 4 July - Confirms he is going to leave Manchester City
• 21 July - Potential move to Corinthians breaks down
• 22 July - Is pictured with Marco Branca, the head of technical staff at Inter Milan
• 4 Aug - Is due to report back to training at Manchester City

As well as Corinthians, Argentina striker Tevez has been linked with Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
The Brazilian side pulled out of the transfer saying there was not enough time to complete a deal before the Brazilian transfer window closed at 0400 BST on Thursday, 21 July.
Tevez's advisor said his client still wanted to leave Manchester City to spend more time with his family in South America but was not "overly worried" by the collapse of the Corinthians deal.
"This is Carlos Tevez we are talking about, one of the best players in the world. We are not overly worried," Kia Joorabchian told BBC Sport.
"He wants to leave but is still a City player at the moment and we will of course respect that."
The former West Ham and Manchester United player missed City's pre-season tour of the United States because he played in the Copa America for Argentina.
City gave him special dispensation to return to pre-season training later than his team-mates because of his involvement in the tournament.
At the end of July, City manager Roberto Mancini admitted he had still not been able to contact his captain and pictures then emerged of the Argentine speaking to the Inter Milan official responsible for player transfers - Marco Branca.
That meeting was later passed off as a coincidence.
Tevez missed the club's open training session at Eastlands on Wednesday and also did not take part in their pre-season promotional filming for Sky Sports.

Manchester City's David Silva insists no bad blood for Carlos Tevez

 

Carlos Tevez will be welcomed back when he returns to training tomorrow

 

David Silva insists he will welcome Carlos Tevez with open arms when City’s want-away striker returns to training tomorrow.

Tevez is due back at Carrington after being given an extended break following the Copa America in Argentina.

It is the first time Tevez will come face to face with his team- mates – and manager Roberto Mancini – since revealing  for a second time he wants to leave the club and declaring that he would never return to Manchester.

But despite the transfer spat, Silva is adamant there is no ill-feeling towards Tevez from within the City dressing room and says he hasn’t given up hope of lining up alongside the Blues skipper again next season.

Silva said: “Carlos has to return and, well, that’s great. He’s a very important player for us.

“I don’t think there will be a problem. We know Carlos well. If he stays, great. There are a lot of competitions and we hope to play well in them all. He’d help that.

“I haven’t spoken with him. When he’s on holiday you have to leave him be and let him relax. That way he comes back and actually can’t wait to come back.”

Silva enjoyed a successful first season in England, picking up an FA Cup winners’ medal and securing a place in the Champions League group stages.

The 25-year-old – already a European Championship and World Cup winner – has high hopes of adding to his medal haul next season and believes the Blues have signed just the man to help him do it.

“This is my second season and I hope it turns out well, like my first,” said Silva. “I hope I win another trophy. At the end of last season we had some good
performances.

“Sergio Aguero is a brilliant player,” he added. “I think he’ll turn out very well and he can really help us. “We have to adapt with him and he has to adapt with us.”

Manchester City linked with £22m move for Samir Nasri

 

Samir Nasri

 

Manchester City have again been linked with a £22m bid for Arsenal playmaker Samir Nasri.

The 24-year-old Frenchman has just one year left on his contract at the Emirates, and the Sun report the Blues are ready to test Arsenal's resolve with an offer.

City boss Roberto Mancini admitted he was on the look out for another midfielder and winger in Dublin over the weekend.

Money always goes to money... Manchester City stars flying high as club seal deal with Etihad Airways

Football has been about the haves and the have-nots for years, but Manchester City have been pulling ahead of the pack in recent years. In financial terms at least.
And now England's wealthiest club have sealed an estimated £120million deal to rename their Eastlands ground the Etihad Stadium.

Flying high: Manchester City players with the Blue Moon Rising jet as it flew in from Abu Dhabi on Thursday

City's players were on hand to toast the deal, posing with a special plane that flew in from Abu Dhabi, which was emblazoned with the club's name.

Since buying City in 2008, Sheikh Mansour has ploughed nearly £1billion into the club.

On the ball: City stars including Vincent Kompany greeted the airline

They won the FA Cup last season, ending 35 painful years without a trophy, but surely they must now move to the next level and make a serious bid to win a first league title since 1968.
The sky's the limit, it seems...

Big deal: City players in club colours pose with the plane