City get their way

Zimbabwe striker Benjani has made his transfer to Manchester City from Portsmouth official for the discounted price of 3.87m pounds. The transfer had been in doubt when the player arrived in Manchester only an hour before the window closed.

It’s a partial victory for City, who had demanded new terms on the deal, but they may still end up paying the entire fee if Benjani makes 75 senior starts, as well as a few other terms. The contract was also shortened from 3 ½ to 2 ½ years.

Benjani also passed a medical on Monday amid rumors that the player had a knee problem.

The Benjani mess

It appears that Manchester City are looking to renege on a transfer deal made for striker Benjani from Portsmouth. It appears that Sven-Goran Eriksson wants the Zimbabwean international on loan.
Were the deal done a few hours earlier, there would have been no argument and Benjani would have probably started against Arsenal. A 7.5m fee was agreed but there has been an argument as to whether a deal was done before the transfer deadline.

Benjani appears to be the big loser in all of this, he’s frozen out of both sides and not appears to be ready to join a team that doesn’t really want to sign him. He arrived in Manchester just 50 minutes before the January transfer window closed to sign a deal which he signed, so I ask, what is City complaining about? “Feeling pressured” just doesn’t cut it. City were pressured because they moved 2 strikers and were left empty handed after a series of potential deals fell thru. With nothing to show for the transfer window, the only pressure came from the fact that they needed a player.

City claim that they didn’t have enough time to complete a medical, and they wanted transparency as to ownership rights for the player and the fact that he was named in Lord Steven’s report. But Walter Pandiani switched from Deportivo la Coruna to Birmingham after the deadline day because of insufficient time. I see no reason this couldn’t be settled the same way.


The rumor is that Manchester City were suffering from buyer’s remorse. I don’t see why, I think he’s a great, hard working player. The Premier League are expected to decide the outcome on Monday.

With Bianchi gone, looks like one of 3 to replace him

Rolando Bianchi has returned to Italy joining Lazio from Manchester City. Bianchi was signed from Reggina but has not settled, and sealed a loan with an eye on a permanent transfer. As a replacement, City have targeted Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano, Real Zaragoza striker Diego Milito and more recently Eidur Gudjohnsen from Barcelona as potential replacements.

Deals for Lyon’s Fred and Lukas Podolski from Bayern Munich appear dead. With that, Sven has to target other players.

Fabiano is joint leading scorer in Spain with 13 goals this season appears interested in a move, but his latest comments appear to indicate he can attract a larger club and a bigger salary. Maybe it’s just posturing. I don’t see a better opportunity for him, so it looks promising.

Real Zaragoza striker Diego Milito has also been tipped. The 22 year old Argentine is highly rated in Spain but new manager Javier Irureta appears very unwilling to negotiate but 15 goals in 24 matches and a good offer can change that. City would have to spend almost 20m pounds to make a deal, though so this would be a surprise to see happen.

An option has also appears today as signals have reached Barcelona that Eidur Gudjohnsen is welcome back to England, the former player desperate for regular football. The price may be right also. An offer in the range of 7m pounds and a guaranteed starting spot could see a deal.

One thing is for certain, Manchester City have sold before buying and are thus in a bind. Other clubs will try and force the price as they know the club will be desperate to hold on to their solid start to the season.

Manchester City striker on his way

Manchester City and Birmingham City have agreed to a transfer fee for Greek international striker Georgios Samaras. The player is currently negotiating personal terms with Birmingham.

Samaras joined Manchester City for 6m pounds from Dutch side Heerenven FC two January transfer windows back in 2006.

Samaras has had an up and down ride at City since his arrival. He scored six goals last season after an impressive start at the club but, after being given a chance, has been left out of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s plans.

The 22 year old has featured in a total of 65 games for the club scoring 12 goals.Charlton Athletic and Coventry City were interested in a loan deal for Samaras but it appears a permanent deal is on the cards.

Has Tottenham beaten out rivals for Brazilian?

Tottenham is on the verge of edging out Paris St. Germain, Portsmouth, West Ham, Middlesbrough and Manchester City to the signing of Brazilian international striker Fred from Lyon.

Seems a bit counter intuitive to me. Tottenham has scored 42 goals this season, no worries there, but has leaked an incredible 40, that’s a relegation number. Dimitar Berbatov doesn’t look to be heading away from the Lane, and the club has seen the return of Ledley King which will hopefully lend some stability. I don’t see a reason to do it except that they are picking up a pretty good bargain, around 9-11m pounds.

Harry Redknapp may offer Jermain Defoe a way out of Tottenham.

Another reason the Fred deal looks set is because Jermain Defoe has been told he can go and Darren Bent is being shopped around. Personally, I’d rather have Fred than either Defoe or Bent, but how can it be that players can barely last a season after a 16m pound move. I mean, hey, this wasn’t just up to Martin Jol.

Fred, 24, has lost his regular starting spot at the 5 times French champions to Karim Benzema who has wowed everyone with some stunning football.

Fred has finally spoken out to the media about his future:

“I hope my future will be sorted on Wednesday, I have two offers, one from Tottenham and one from Paris St Germain”

City’s worst nightmare: Premiership giants at the gate

Micah Richards is holding out for big money. Stalled contract talks have England’s big 4 clubs watching closely as the finest young defender in world may be on his way. Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea would probably climb over each other for a shot at Richards. Should a move away from Manchester City become a reality, you’ll see a bidding war that has never been seen for a defender before.

City fans hope that the stall is part of the process of negotiations, with Richards apparently wanting 70k pounds per week and the club offering around 50k pounds. The offer on the table would see Richards the highest paid player at the club by a mile. But 70k is not too much considering the talent and the big 4 won’t hesitate one iota forking up the cash. A defender with his pace and leaping ability is a very rare commodity and City has had a lot of success this season because of him. Just consider how many goal saving tackles that have been shown on Match of the Day.

Richards departing would be a nightmare for City fans and you can’t blame the club, they are doing everything they can to keep him. Will money trump the young man’s loyalty? It usually does.

You can’t fault Micah Richards for having aspirations but if City should land in the Champions League next season there is no reason to leave. Personally, he should stay 2-3 more years regardless and really cement his abilities in a place which will be forgiving and appreciative.

Forget Cisse, this is the guy City should sign

Manchester City would flourish if they sign Brazil international striker Fred. The 24-year-old, who is Dunga's first choice, is available for transfer by Lyon who has been starting breakout striker Karim Benzema.

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Fred is a world class finisher and is very, very well suited to the Premiership. For around 9m pounds City can sign him. In my opinion, I’d much rather have him than Djibril Cisse or Nikolas Anelka who costs more and can always be troublesome, though his previous stint at City went ok.

Fred scores goals. He has netted in 90 of his 130 starts in Brazil and scored 25 in 55 matches for Lyon, most of those goals coming early in him time there. Lately he’s been used as a substitute but still manages to score. Of his 9 international appearances he has scored 5 times. What you are reading here is that he can score anywhere he plays and does. City would be very lucky to have him.

Now, the cold water. Paris outfit PSG have been negotiating a transfer for the player as well and appear close as representatives from all sides met over the weekend. Better hurry City, you won’t find this kind of class for this price anywhere on the planet.

City and Villa make formal inquiries for striker

Manchester City and Aston Villa have both made formal inquiries to Newcastle United for Nigerian international striker Obafemi Martins. The news has piqued the interest of Portsmouth and Tottenham for signs that Newcastle will be accepting offers.

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Manchester City has already admitted they are looking to bolster their front line but an official approach by Aston Villa could lead rise to the speculation that Gabriel Agbonlahor could be headed to Arsenal. I was surprised at Villa’s move, but in any event it appears the race is on with no less than 4 clubs interested.

Martins has a release clause in his contract of 13m pounds, a number which is keeping a move from happening. It has been indicated that Martins prefers a move to Manchester City but only Aston Villa appear willing to meet that price tag.

Martins has signalled his frustration at Sam Allardyce’s tactics this season, especially his substitution rate, he has started 11 games, 9 of which saw him substituted, he’s been a sub 6 times.

As for Tottenham and Portsmouth, the chances are remote. Portsmouth have resigned themselves to the fact that John Utaka will be leaving at the end of the season with interest from allover Europe (note to interested clubs, he needs to learn to cross better). Tottenham would be better served working on their back line than buying yet another player. With 4 good strikers on the books, Martins would not add anything unless Berbatov leaves.

As for City, they have money and Newcastle knows it. If any club mentioned here needs a striker its them. Can you imagine Martins’s pace running onto Elano’s thru balls?

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City, City, City!

Sven-Goran Eriksson continues to do a brilliant job at Manchester City with a perfect home record to show for it. With a 4-2 win over a determined Bolton side today, they move into fourth place in the Premier League.

It was by no means a runaway 4-2, City scored the first goal but broke down in the first half to let in 2 to fall behind. Bolton were playing well, it looked unlikely anything could be salvaged.

It was the ninth win at home for City, a very, very impressive record going into the toughest stretch of the season. City are on 33 points and with Liverpool taking on Manchester United they could see the weekend out in a place to qualify for the Champions League.

The more I watch City, the more they begin to resemble Arsenal. Sven is pushing possession football on the squad in training and it shows. After the break they made some tactical changes and took the game back over.

There were chances for both sides. Anelka hit the post, and Kevin Nolan was stopped by a brilliant save. But Bolton are still wandering, especially at the back, when at times they were Keystone Cops.

City went ahead early through a Rolando Bianchi redierct but El-Hadji Diuof made it level on 31 minutes. Kevin Nolan scored from a Ricardo Gardner cross just before the half.

City evened the scoring in the 48th minute as a Dietmar Hamann shot was deflected into the goal and shortly after Darius Vassell put City ahead for good, a fourth was added as substitute Kelvin Etuhu, who I thought was impressive, scored his first Premier League goal in injury time.


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On the Hunt

Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt is a bit of a dirty player. The foul over the weekend on Gelson Fernandes of Manchester City seals it.

The new tendency for referees to keep the red in the pocket this season is going to cost someone a career. 11 v 11 for 90 minutes, but the shocker that earned him a yellow card deserved a red and a host of games suspended. Hunt went in with studs at the knee and was nowhere near the ball. Fernandes was very lucky. It was a career ending tackle.

Hunt, you may recall was the player that dropped a knee and made the collision with Petr Cech forcing him out for many months and causing him to now wear a protective helmet. Opinion was divided at the time, but not for me. Hunt lowered his knee and should have pulled out. He's reckless and plays football with no consideration for anyone's safety.

Too often these types of reckless players are given excuses that they play with tons of effort and desire, but I don't see it that way. Its more a matter of doing anything, hurting anyone to get ahead.

A couple of years back Arsene Wenger was chided for suggesting Ruud van Nistelrooy was 'a bit of a dirty player' but he was right. I saw it too. He was smart about his behavior but the pattern was there. Hunt has the same tendency.

He needs to leave to get his career back on track

Shaun Wright-Phillips was completely left out of last night's Champions League victory over Schalke by Chelsea manager Avram Grant. While the team won, for Wright-Phillips it’s time to go. What better place than a resurgent Manchester City?

The England international struggled to win a place since Jose Mourinho signed him from Manchester City for 21m pounds in 2005 but had been gaining playing time until Avram Grant took over. He doesn’t look to feature in the new manager’s plans and should end the frustration and go somewhere where he will play. He wasn't even on the subs bench last night.

He has only made 29 Premier League starts in just over two seasons.

Sven has come out and said that they need to sign 2 more top players in January, well here is one of them.

Liverpool striker chased by Italian and pair of Premiership clubs

Peter Crouch may be moving on during the transfer window. Juventus, Manchester City and Portsmouth are both vying for the player’s services.

Portsmouth have expressed interest, as Harry Redknapp, who has already sold Peter Crouch twice, will make a third attempt to re-sign the striker as he continues to build a strong side at Portsmouth.

Sven Goran-Eriksson is also interested as the rumors persist that he will be handed a massive transfer kitty during the January window and it appears Crouch is tall on his list.

But Liverpool appear disinterested in selling the striker to another Premiership club and it’s been rumored that Juventus are interested in the striker to coming to Italy. Apparently Crouch is interested in the chance to play abroad.

Crouch has slipped to fourth choice at Liverpool and he is out of contract at the end of next season which means that Liverpool will look to sell sooner rather than later should they choose to let Crouch go.

Move for keeper blocked by club

Carlo Cudicini is angry with Chelsea after the club blocked his chance of a move to Manchester City in the current transfer window.

Cudicini is finally fed up being Petr Cech's No2 after. It only took him 3 seasons. Manchester City have made inquiries but Chelsea made it clear no deal was possible.

At one point last season Cudicini had slipped behind Henrique Hilario in the starting order while Cech was still out with a fractured skull. Fernando Pastorello, Cudicini’s agent made it clear to Chelsea management that his client was not happy thwarting his opportunity to leave and seek first team football.

"They told him he had to stay because there was not enough time to find a new goalkeeper to replace him" - Pastorello

Sven Goran Eriksson was quite keen to sign the player for Manchester City. Cudicini still has 2 seasons to go on his contract.

Cudicini was a former Milan youth player. He arrived at Chelsea in 1999 and was the first choice keeper until Petr Cech was signed. He’s hardly seen the team sheet since, making just 15 appearances and is certainly too good for that.

City win Manchester bragging rights

Manchester City have earned a famous win in the Manchester derby which will send their fans into rapture and Manchester United’s wondering if it’s time to call their situation a crisis.

What do you say when last year’s champions have only earned 2 points in their opening 3 games? What do you say when a relegation candidate from last season is in great form and have earned full points from their first 3 games?

It didn’t start that way. It was almost embarrassingly one sided in the first 30 minutes. Nani should have opened the scoring when Paul Scholes neatly laid the ball off to him at the edge of the 6 yard box, Nani was tentative though and Kasper Schmeichel parried the shot. In the early going Carrick, Scholes and Owen Hargreaves (making his first start) were bamboozling the City midfield. Beautiful, fluid movement saw Nani get his second chance but again Schmeichel was up to the task.

On 25 minutes, Nani produced the pass of the match with a perfect back heel thru ball which beat everyone and sent Evra thru unfortunately he couldn’t capitalize. And twice in the early going Micah Richards saved City as Tevez was thru on goal.

Soon after though, City began to settle to the pace and pressure of United’s quality and the game’s complexion began to even out. They started playing a high line, very risky, but it worked as the space was compressed for United to work and enabled City to press up field more quickly, keeping the United midfield on their toes.

Then, suddenly, and totally against the run of play City took the lead. It was a pass across the midfield which Geovanni struck well enough, and with a slight deflection off Vidic saw van der Sar beaten. For all the quality build up play, United were on the back foot from that point forward. It was only City’s second shot of the game and quite a while before they would get another.

You must credit Micah Richards for his brilliant display. What a defender, just top class in every category. He muzzled Carlos Tevez when it mattered. His finest moment was on 55 minutes when he cleared a low cross across the box when there were 2 United players ready to score. For all their effort from that point forward you could just see the belief drifting away. It showed in little ways like uncharacteristic concessions of possession and signals of frustration.

You must also credit Dieter Hamann for his intelligent drifts backwards allowing the defenders to avoid long balls and pass to him instead to steady the game. In general City did very well getting men back to protect their lead. United didn’t pressure Hamann, with Tevez the perfect player to do it and force City into the sort of long ball that would allow United to develop some pressure going forward.

United continued to have the majority of possession but United just couldn’t score despite some very close calls. How they missed Ronaldo and a striker which crashes the box.

For all of United’s 21 trophies since the Premier League was created, it was City’s day. Is there a crisis for United? Not yet, it’s more bad luck, Vidic hitting the post right after the half is proof of that. Was I wrong about City? It’s looking like I was, but for both teams, a few more games will tell the story better.

Regardless of crises, United have dug themselves quite a 5 point hole. It’s so hard to play comeback, especially in a Premier League which seems to have so much parody.

Manchester City lay it down

Finally. Football again. There were some interesting developments and lots of new players on the pitch yesterday as Manchester City steamrolled West Ham.

While Manchester City were world beaters in the first 20 minutes against West Ham, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and call the team re-born. They may just be: sharp and purposeful away at Upton Park, but did we get an accurate reflection?

The reason I say this is because West Ham were a tactical nightmare and a disaster in central midfield. Man City ran them over in the middle of the park. In fact a non-league side could have run the team I saw over.

Manchester City played 5 in midfield to great effect, allowing new signing Elano to run rampant. Martin Petrov was excellent and Micah Richards, for me, was the best player on the pitch. Header after header, clearance after clearance, Richards kept the back a locked gate and played some truly class football.

City were also well organized, credit to Sven, and looked in-sync with each other. As for West Ham, they need Julien Flaubert badly. Dean Ashton, first time on the pitch in a year was doing his best impression of Ronaldo in the first game of the last World Cup. He needs fitness, badly. West Ham have not improved yet.

New signings Freddie Ljungberg and Craig Bellamy played respectably, Ljungberg in particular missing a tap in by inches. A sign of hope for West Ham was their performance in the second period improved significantly.

I fully expected West Ham to win this match at home against a team that has hardly played together, losing 2-0 the way they did, it could be a long season for them. Manchester City deserve full credit for their quality and win, with a long season ahead, stiffer tests will appear.

Oh, so it’s not just me who thinks he’s corrupt

Human Rights Watch (HRW), probably the largest human rights group in the world, has written to the Premier League to question League's 'fit and proper person' test somehow passed by Thaksin Shinawatra and his purchase of Manchester City.

Quote from HRW:

"A human rights abuser of the worst kind" and "under any definition, I don't see how Thaksin can be fit and proper"

HRW doesn’t understand that all you need is money. In recent comments in my articles, I was accused of supporting a military coup and being all kinds of things which I found extremely laughable. And now you see why.

The Premier League has replied by defending the fit and proper person test. That means that human rights abusers are ok then.

The allegations against Thaksin are:

• Extrajudicial killings during a "war on drugs". HRW says 2,500 people were killed in three months during 2003
  
• Used the Thai military to suppress a south Thailand insurgency


• Suppressed the Thai media, that’s why you don’t know a lot about it


• Various conflict of interest with family members and business deals

See folks, the League are patsies, unwilling to stand up for anything proper. Just look at Ken Bates and Leeds, a joke beyond jokes. And unfortunately City fans, at least the ones in these comments, are blinded by loyalty to their club and accuse me of having a grudge. I don't, look here and here. Take the blinders off: the ‘fit and proper person’ test is not a real test.

Blackburn and Manchester City want Santa Cruz

Both Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City are hoping to sign Paraguayan international Roque Santa Cruz from Bayern Munich.

Rovers boss Mark Hughes and City boss Sven Goran-Eriksson are keen to start talks with the 25 year old player who has been given permission to talk to both clubs as well as FC Porto of Portugal. A deal may be wrapped up over the weekend if Santa Cruz can come to terms and decide on a club. Galatasaray has also been rumored to have inquired.

Santa Cruz has been sidelined at Munich to protect the asset while a deal is made for the player. A good showing at the Copa America has boosted his stock among suitors and his place at Bayern has been usurped by new signings Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni.

The pricetag for the player is said to be around 4.5m pounds well within reason for all potential suitors.

Finally, Manchester City make smart signing

Manchester City have signed quality Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov from Atletico Madrid. After a series of underwhelming signings (to the disagreement of many City fans), this move is fantastic for City. Petrov has played well in every league he’s joined and at 28 has the right experience level to help a club that needs just that.

For 4.7m pounds the Bulgarian international is a bargain. Skilled, direct, and with a good footballing brain, he is a complete winger that City are lucky to get. After 13m pound Simao Sabrosa joined Atletico, Petrov is seen as surplus to requirements.

Petrov has agreed a three year deal and has already passed a medical. Heavily linked with Tottenham over the last few days, Sven-Goran Eriksson has pulled a small coup and given his team just what they need: a player than can get the ball down the field and in the box.

Petrov, capped 60 times, started out at CSKA Sofia. He had a spell in Switzerland where he caught the eye of German outfit Wolfsburg where he was highly regarded. He left for La Liga and Atletico Madrid in 2005 where he has been since. Steadily, he was moving west and now North.

Here is a video of some highlights from his spell in Germany:

City lock horns with Reading over quality defender

Manchester City have targeted defender and holding midfielder Emerse Fae, trying to nudge out Reading who were very close to making a deal for the Ivory Coast international earlier this month.

With a deal not closed, City have smartly stepped in to try and land one of the better defenders playing in France. Fae will decide on a new club over the weekend as the club have made it clear that he can leave. Nantes were relegated from Ligue 1 last season. The 23-year-old is just too good for a lower league and looks set to move.

Lokomotiv Moscow have emerged as a late contender for the player, who are apparently offering good personal terms.

Reports in France emerged Friday claiming City club officials have held talks with the player late last week.

Reading have waited too long, plain and simple, regardless of an injury to the player. Fae handed in a transfer request at well over a month ago. Now, with new owners in the Premiership and money to spend, the player is spoiled for choice.

Fae has made exactly 100 appearances for Nantes and has been capped 14 times for the Ivory Coast, playing in ther 2006 World Cup and also in the last African Cup of Nations. Fae is a product of the Nantes youth academy and opted for Ivory Coast rather than his native France.

Eriksson doing best Wenger impression

Manchester City have signed Brazilian midfielder Geovanni on a free transfer from Cruzeiro. They have also signed Rolando Bianchi from Reggina and also a kid named Gelson Fernandes from FC Sion. Will new manager Sven-Goran Eriksson be an Arsene Wenger or another Alain Perrin?

No doubt that Manchester City have rebuilding to do and Eriksson will be itching for the chance to prove the huge number of doubters wrong. With a failed England career and a corrupt new owner, Manchester City is on the right track. I can see Noel Gallagher at the ground with a Swedish and Thai flag on both sides of his baseball hat now.

Seeing the players that Eriksson is signing, I can see my doubts well founded. Not necessarily bad players, but obscure players, and no experience in England. I don’t want to do an Alan Hanson “you can’t win anything with kids” but I doubt you can climb the table with a bunch of players who have no Premiership pedigree.

The first signing for City was Reggina striker Rolando Bianchi. 24, some potential but looks to me like a Samaras in sheep’s clothing. He doesn’t link play and poaches goals. He scored a bunch last season in Italy, but wasn’t one of City’s biggest problems last campaign their inability to feed the strikers? How will a poacher solve that?

Fernandes was second. When I heard the name Fernandes, I thought, wow, smart move signing the former Everton loaner and Benfica midfielder Manuel Fernandes, but no. He signed some obscure, somewhat rated Swiss kid Gelson Fernandes, aged 20. Hmmm. Do Man City need help now or in 4 years?

Today’s announcement fuels my suspicions. Geovanni? The same failed career at Benfica and Barcelona Geovanni? And on a one year deal? How can that be rebuilding? He came on a free. Well, not a lot to lose there, but again my point: where is this all going?

I could be eating words come Boxing Day, City in 6th, glory, chance at the Champions League and a famous win against United already under Eriksson’s belt. I could be wrong but I don’t see Sven Goran Eriksson as anything like an Arsene Wenger. He had trouble getting an England 11 to work together when he had the best at his disposal. He chose Theo Walcott, never even having played a Premiership game and never used him.

If I were City’s manager I would have done the following:

Sign Jermain Defoe, take a stab at Eduir Guidjohnson, then definitely sign Manuel Fernandes.

Make a likely fruitless try for Sunsuke Nakamura, then make a play for Stuart Downing or even bring Shaun Wright-Phillips back. Tomas Gravesen would do nicely for support.

Last, sign a pair of defenders. There are a host of good ones out there like Gio van Bronckhorst who left Barcelona for Feyenoord to stabilize the back.

My point is Manchester City need to stabilize the team and bring in help that has Premiership experience. Arsene Wenger has the luxury of a stable team from which he can take risks. Sven Goran-Eriksson does not have this luxury and should do the most possible to make sure City stay near the top 10 and look to make gains on that the following season.

As it looks now, sorry to say, City look lost and like a relegation candidate to me.