Paris St Germain prepare £21m bid for Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez

 

Carlos Tevez

Paris St Germain are set to enter the race for Carlos Tevez’s signature with a concrete offer for the wayward Manchester City striker.

But, contrary to reports, the Blues have received no bids for the Argentine international who remains in his home country after going absent without leave nearly five weeks ago.

M.E.N. Sport understands the French club, bolstered by Qatari money, are preparing a bid of around £21m in the January transfer window.

That moves them ahead of AC Milan in the chase for Tevez, with the Italians insisting that they only want Tevez on a six-month loan with an option for a possible £19.5m purchase next summer.

That is not enough for City, who travel to  Chelsea in the Premier League tonight, but Milan are adamant they will not increase their offer.

City would only contemplate a loan if Milan signed a legally-binding contract which ensured they would come up with the money at the end of the temporary transfer. City suspect that Milan simply want Tevez as cover for Antonio Cassano as he recovers from minor heart surgery.

Last season, City allowed striker Emmanuel Adebayor to go to the Bernabeu on loan on the understanding the move would be made permanent last summer.

Instead, Madrid used him as cover for the injured Gonzalo Higuain and then made no move to sign him.

Now Tevez’s camp, who have been touting their man to Serie A clubs are stuck in a dilemma.

Tevez wants to go to Milan  but, if PSG’s plans come off, the only viable offer on the table will be for him to go to France.

That was recognised by Milan’s chief executive Adriano Galliani, who said: “The ball is in Manchester City’s court. It’s true that PSG entered into negotiations. We know that the City board want to sell their player.

“We just hope they will accept our offer, because it will not change. I would not say I am optimistic or pessimistic. I just know that Tevez’s preference is to go to Milan but convincing City to loan instead of selling is not easy.”

PSG  director of football Leonardo confirmed that his club are in the running.

He said: “I spoke to the player’s agent and he told me he preferred to go to Milan but Manchester wants to sell and not loan. If City finally agree to lend, Tevez goes to Milan and the case is closed. Otherwise, the market is open.”

Meanwhile Juventus, who have also expressed an interest, are watching developments.

Roberto Mancini can be Manchester City great - Colin Bell

 

Colin Bell made 394 appearances for Manchester City scoring 117 goals 

 

Former Manchester City midfielder Colin Bell believes Roberto Mancini can emulate the success Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison brought to the club.

The 65-year-old won the league, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners Cup during his time under those managers.
"He's another manager with a magic wand that whatever 11 he turns out the play for him, they perform and they get the result," he told BBC Radio Manchester.
"It's absolutely brilliant and I just hope he stays forever and a day."
Bell joined City from Bury in 1966 for £45,000, and played for the club until 1979 when he was forced to retire due to a serious knee injury.
Recognised as one of their greatest ever players, Bell was so popular at Maine Road that, when the club moved into their new stadium at Eastlands, one of the stands was named The Colin Bell Stand.
The former England midfielder still attends matches and following the huge investment in the squad made by owner Sheikh Mansour, has particularly been enjoying his trips to the Etihad this season.

"I used to think years ago 'is it going to be a draw today?'" added Bell.
"I just think we're going to win at home every game and it's just a matter of how many we're going to win by, and it's down to him [Mancini].
"He certainly knows how the English game works, plus the fact that he's been fiddling with which is his best team for 12 months now, so he knows what to do and what not to do.
"When I'm at Eastlands on a match-day I don't even look at the team sheet as it doesn't even bother me. I know whichever 11 he turns out they're going to perform.
"The start couldn't have been better, absolutely brilliant. I'm expecting at the end of the season there is probably a couple of trophies added to what we've got already."

Colin Bell is 'In the Spotlight' on Thursday, 8 December talking on topics including how writing his autobiography saved his life and how he dealt with the injury that forced him to retire. If you miss the show you can listen again via the iPlayer or download the podcast.

Blues battle plan: Roberto Mancini eyes key spell for Manchester City

 

STRATEGY: Roberto Mancini

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini believes the Blues put one hand on the Premier League trophy in the next two months.

The league leaders face a stern test of their title credentials in the coming weeks with tough fixtures against Chelsea and Arsenal before Christmas.

January appears even more imposing with three clashes against Liverpool - including the two-legged Carling Cup semi-final - a visit from Tottenham and the start of the FA Cup defence against arch-rivals Manchester United.

City will also have to make do without their midfield inspiration Yaya Toure, as well as his defensive brother Kolo, early in the new year due to their involvement in the African Nations Cup with Ivory Coast.

The Toures will return before City begin their Europa League campaign in mid-February and Mancini hopes his team have asserted their dominance by then.

Mancini said: "We have done well but the season is long.

"Now we have two difficult games against Chelsea and Arsenal.

"I have said before the next two months will be important months.

"Yaya is an important player for us - we don't have any other players like Yaya.

"We will probably lose an important man for one month at a crucial moment.

"For this reason I think if we do well in January, and we are top after January, it will be difficult to lose."

Yaya Toure has played more than any other outfield player for City this season and has started every non-Carling Cup match.

City have other midfield options in Gareth Barry, James Milner, Nigel de Jong and Owen Hargreaves but the 28-year-old former Barcelona player will undoubtedly be missed.

Mancini said: "The Europa League will start in February.

"Yaya will finish the African Nations Cup by February 10-11 and then he can come back.

"It is important in that month that we don't have players injured.

"If we don't have players injured I think we are strong enough for the FA Cup and Carling Cup."

Roberto Mancini stung by Manchester City's Champions League exit

 

Sergio Aguero leaves the field

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini admitted it was tough to take the Blues' Champions League exit after winning 10 points in Group A.

City bowed out of this season's competition despite a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich as Napoli beat Villarreal by the same scoreline.

"We go into the Europa league. It's another trophy and it's an important trophy for Manchester City," Mancini told Sky Sports 2.

"It's a disappointment because we wanted to play in the Champions League.

"10 points is very difficult to go out.

"If you are in the final [of the Europa League] it will be very important because I've never won the Europa League.

"We are a good team. We played well, we're very sorry for our supporters and I'm sorry for our players.

"I think we need to improve as a team because we got a tough group [in the Champions League] this year.

"Congratulations to Napoli, they got one point more than us.

"Now we are the top of the Premier League and the season will be long but we want to improve on last year in the Premier League."

Manchester City in no rush to fill gap if Carlos Tevez exits in New Year

 

Carlos Tevez

 

City will not seek to replace Carlos Tevez if they manage to off-load him in next month’s transfer window.

The Blues will be in selling mode going in to the mid-winter window, with Tevez top of their “unwanted” list, followed by Wayne Bridge and Nedum Onuoha.

But M.E.N. Sport understands that City will not be tempted to beef up their squad with another big spend – although they will look at loan options and possible bargain buys.

News that the Blues have given Tevez’s advisers permission to tout his services around Europe has heightened speculation that City may dip into the transfer market, either to replace the AWOL striker or to add to their midfield options.

City have already expressed an interest in Napoli strike pair Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi, while manager Roberto Mancini is a long-time admirer of Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi.

The fact that de Rossi still has not signed a new deal with Roma has  raised a few eyebrows in Italy, and City still feel they are short of a midfielder, a problem which will be heightened when Yaya Toure goes to the African Nations Cup next month.

But City, conscious of the need to rein in their spending, with Uefa financial fair play rules starting to take effect at the end of this season, have indicated they will make do with what they have.

It emerged that Tevez’s adviser Kia Joorabchian and Fifa-registered agent Giuseppe Riso held a two-hour meeting  with AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani on Monday, was due to meet him again last night and is expected in  Manchester for talks with City tomorrow.

Mancini said: “I think that for us it is important to sell him, both for him and the club. If he has a chance to move, I am happy for him.”

Joorabchian told an Italian sports channel that Tevez, who remains in Argentina after flying there without club permission a month ago, “is good, very good, and training with intensity to be ready in January for a big club.

“AC Milan is one of the biggest clubs in the world.”

But Joorabchian also suggested Juventus and Inter Milan are also in the reckoning, and that Tevez is intent on playing European football next season.

 Mancini also played down a suggestion that defender Kolo Toure had been critical of City and of fellow defender Stefan Savic in an interview with a French magazine.

The City boss said he believed the Ivorian, who claimed he had not said the things attributed to him.

“I spoke about this with Kolo. He told me he didn’t say anything about this and Kolo doesn’t have any problem at this moment.

“Yesterday before training he told me ‘Boss, sorry there is a problem with a newspaper, it will come out that I said this, this, this, but I didn’t say anything’. And for me this is OK now.

“I can say Kolo is part of our plans. He is here and we know he is a good player. And if he plays or not, because we have a lot of players, Kolo is part of our plans.”

But Mancini did suggest Kolo would be allowed to leave in summer if he asked.

“At this moment,   because we have one or two defensive injuries, Kolo is important because he has experience,” said Mancini.

“But in the summer if he tells me ‘Boss I want to leave because I want to play’ I have big respect for him as a man and we can talk about this. But now, no.

Sergio Aguero: I want to be Manchester City's Diego Maradona

Sergio Aguero is intent on walking in the divine footsteps of his father-in-law in Naples tonight - by lighting up the Stadio San Paolo.

The little Argentine striker says he dreams of becoming a national hero and football icon like his wife Giannina’s dad Diego Maradona, who is revered in Naples.

Aguero is hoping to fire the Blues into the knockout phase by scoring the goals which will ensure second place in Group A.

Maradona will not be there to watch his son-in-law play, as he was back in Argentina for the funeral of his mother yesterday.

But Aguero says he dreams of leading City to glory the way Maradona led the unfashionable Napoli club to success over the richer clubs of the Italian north.

“It’s my dream to do what Maradona did for Napoli, but for City,” said Aguero.

“But this is not about an individual – what is important is that Manchester City do well as a team.

“In the past Maradona has told me everything about Naples, and I have seen on television what he stands for here, and how important he is for the fans.

“It is also important for me, as an Argentinian.

“I haven’t been able to speak to him for the past few days because of the loss of his mother – but I want to send my best wishes to him and those close to him at the moment.”

Maradona is deified by the fans in Naples, even though he left under a cloud in 1992 after a drugs test proved positive for cocaine.

In fact, the Neapolitans wanted to rename their stadium after the genius who led them to two Serie A titles and a Uefa Cup from 1987 to 1990, only to be thwarted by an Italian law which forbids a building to be named after a person unless they have been dead for at least ten years!

And they are a passionate set of fans.

City arrived at the airport to be greeted by a group of fans chanting – and one set off a flare.

City have put on extra security for the trip, with 1,000 Blues fans expected in the port, after three Liverpool fans were stabbed there last season, and two Bayern Munich supporters got the same treatment three weeks ago.

Roberto Mancini was giving nothing away about his team selection, but admitted he is toying with the idea of starting with Mario Balotelli.

The Italian striker is desperate to play in this one, as Naples is one of his favourite cities, and he has enjoyed a rebirth as a national hero after two impressive displays for the national team last week.

But Napoli fans are likely to give Balotelli a hot reception as they are not big fans of the national team and remember him from his days as a player for the hated Inter Milan.

Mancini says that factor won’t alter his team selection.

“I don't think about the crowd reaction,” he said. “Mario has played in Naples maybe ten times.

“For him, every game for Manchester City is important, but now it is different because he plays for us for the first time in Italy in Naples.

“The fans in Italy know and understand that Mario can be an important player for the national team.

“Of course, we feel we can finish the job. But we are confident in any game, not just the Premier League but the Champions League as well. We have to go there, be confident and give it 100 per cent because it is not going to be an easy game.

"It is going to be a big task but we are confident."

 Napoli look as imposing as the stone fortress which guards the harbour in this ancient city. Their proud boast is that they have not lost to a foreign team since Eintracht Frankfurt won here in 1994.

"hat is a run of ten matches, including the group games against Bayern Munich and Villarreal this season. But they have lost twice at home this season in Serie A, to Chievo and Parma.

And City broke one duck by becoming he first English club ever to win at Villarreal in their last Champions League outing.

That was also the Blues’ first-ever competitive win on Spanish soil, and now they go seeking their first in Italy.

Midfielder Nigel de Jong, who is expected to be deployed in a deep-lying role to guard against the counter-attacks of Edinson Cavani, Marek Hamsik and Ezequiel Lavezzi which caught City out in the Etihad Stadium meeting of the two sides, believes City can do it.

“Of course, we feel we can finish the job,” said de Jong. “

But we are confident in any game, not just the Premier League but the Champions League as well.

“We have to go there, be confident and give it 100 per cent because it is not going to be an easy game. It is going to be a big task but we are confident.”

Deal me in! Nigel de Jong wants to pen new Manchester City deal

 

Nigel de Jong

Nigel de Jong has declared: “I want to stay at Manchester City and win more trophies”.

The Blues midfielder has been talking about a new deal with City for over six months without agreement, while Joe Hart, Adam Johnson, Pablo Zabaleta and Micah Richards have all signed new long-term deals.

Roberto Mancini is anxious to keep the Dutchman but de Jong wants a deal in line with City’s big earners.

Negotiations have dragged on, but City remain confident they can agree terms with the player. And de Jong, whose current deal runs out in the summer of 2013, made it plain that he doesn’t want to go anywhere.

“There is no concern about my contract,” de Jong said. “It is up to the club now. I have spoken my mind and now it is from the club’s perspective to decide what they want to do with me as a person and a player.

“Do I want to stay? Is that not obvious? It is a silly question.

“I have been here for three years and I am here to win prizes. We won the FA Cup last season, now we are doing well in the Premier League. For me there is no reason to move on.”

De Jong has also made it clear that regardless of any frustration at not getting a new deal sorted out, he will continue to give his all for the City cause.

The Blues have now chalked up the best 12-match start to a season in history, with 11 wins and a draw.

And they take that form into their crunch Champions League game at Napoli tomorrow night, knowing a win would secure a place in the last 16.

However, de Jong warned it will be tough in the Stadio San Paolo: “There is a good feeling about the squad but Napoli are fighting for the last chance.

“Everybody knows the stories about Napoli and their fans and it is going to be an exciting game.

“We feel we can finish the job. We have to go there, be confident and give it 100 per cent.”

 De Jong also said that going to Old Trafford and winning heavily had taken City’s confidence  onto a new level.

“After that game, the confidence did get higher,” added de Jong.

“Away games are always more difficult, especially there. But this is not going to be an easy task with their fans.”