Sportswash! - Let’s oil stare at Manchester City!

[SoccerHQ]

Going back generally on topic, I've been quite impressed by how City have gone about things this season.

It isn't pretty to watch and Mancini is a bit of an Italian Benitez in he's obbsessed with playing 3 holding midfielders home and away against every opposition although they've tweaked it slightly in recent weeks with Silva now in the hole behind Balotelli and Tevez and Toure getting more forward with decent results.

One thing I've been critical about City in recent season is their lack of fight away from home when the going has got tough...that has been well and truely corrected this season.

Can't see them winning the league especially with the Tevez stuff now but they will be finishing in the top 4 so sorry Spurs but your golden run is over so prepare for a few big names of theirs to depart.

[CitizenBlue]

Edin Dzeko alerts Manchester City of willingness to leave Wolfsburg

• Wolfsburg striker gives City green light to sign him

• Tevez to miss Thursday's trip to Juventus

Edin Dzeko, Manchester City's principal target in next month's transfer window, has written to the club to say he wants to make the move happen and effectively ask if they will sign him, increasing the possibility that he will arrive as either a replacement or a new partner for Carlos Tevez.

The prolific Wolfsburg striker sent his letter to a senior executive at Eastlands earlier in the season, expressing his admiration for the club and his gratitude for their efforts to buy him in the August window. Talks broke down at that stage because Wolfsburg would not lower their asking price, in the region of £45m, whereas City valued him closer to £30m. However, City have maintained their interest in the Bosnia international and their information is that Dzeko still feels the same about the possibility of becoming the club's latest big-money transfer.

City are now hoping to reach a compromise fee with Wolfsburg to resurrect the deal. It may still need some prolonged negotiating, with the German club having obvious misgivings about losing such an important player in the middle of the Bundesliga season, but City are increasingly optimistic after inviting some of Dzeko's representatives to watch the Manchester derby last month and showing them round their training ground.

Dzeko's arrival would allow the club to move on Emmanuel Adebayor, who is regarded as a disruptive influence as well as not making the grade, in the manager Roberto Mancini's opinion, in terms of what is needed for a potential title-winning side.

Dzeko, at 6ft 3in, would provide City's front line with an aerial threat that has been lacking this season, Mancini's team being the only side in the top division not to score a headed goal. He will be seen as a potential replacement for Tevez but ideally Mancini wants to put the two players together.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/dec/15/edin-dzeko-manchester-city

Dear City, come and get me...love, Edin! - The headline from Daily Mail on the same story . 8)

I really want this player.

[DiegoD]

Dear City please give me a 5 year contract worth way more than i deserve

[djdabush]

Dear City, I know there are more successful teams, with greater histories and better managers who wish to sign me, but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Love, Edin!

[TrentVilla]

Dear City,

For many years now, almost two in fact I have dreamed of playing for your great club. As a kid growing up many of the boys my age were inspired watching the likes of Robbie Fowler or Ian Wright but not me, no for me it was Shaun Goater and Paul Dickov all the way.

To pull on the famous red shirt of Manchester would be a great honour although my agent tells me Sir Alex is getting on a little and may not last forever. That doesn't worry me though because I hear from Robiniho and Tevez what a great club you are to play for and how you can make all my dreams come true!!!!

Obviously moving to England would be traumatic so I would need a decent contract to ensure the deal could be completed, I'm thinking in the region of £250k a week should cover it. I would have asked for £300k but I wouldn't want people thinking its just about the money and I hear Rooney is nailed on to join in January and I'd really like to play alongside him.

Oh one last thing, if I decide a few months later I want to go home you have to promise to let me and that you will pay me to go home like you did Bellamy and Robiniho.

Yours faithfully until a better offer comes along

Dezko

[dudevillaisnice]

Dear City,

For many years now, almost two in fact I have dreamed of playing for your great club. As a kid growing up many of the boys my age were inspired watching the likes of Robbie Fowler or Ian Wright but not me, no for me it was Shaun Goater and Paul Dickov all the way.

To pull on the famous red shirt of Manchester would be a great honour although my agent tells me Sir Alex is getting on a little and may not last forever. That doesn't worry me though because I hear from Robiniho and Tevez what a great club you are to play for and how you can make all my dreams come true!!!!

Obviously moving to England would be traumatic so I would need a decent contract to ensure the deal could be completed, I'm thinking in the region of £250k a week should cover it. I would have asked for £300k but I wouldn't want people thinking its just about the money and I hear Rooney is nailed on to join in January and I'd really like to play alongside him.

Oh one last thing, if I decide a few months later I want to go home you have to promise to let me and that you will pay me to go home like you did Bellamy and Robiniho.

Yours faithfully until a better offer comes along

Dezko

hahaha

[Gingerlad]

Dear City, Im a money grabbing word removed.

I should fit in your team well.

Edin.

[theunderstudy]

Trent

[ONO]

Dear City, please pay me 300k a week. I'll even take it in the gravy ring from Gary Cock.

xx

Edin

[CitizenBlue]

Value aside, Iniesta is Barca’s debt solution

Martin Rogers

By Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports Dec 14, 10:07 pm EST

Andres Iniesta likely is just weeks away from being crowned the world’s greatest soccer player, but his days at Barcelona may be numbered, a club source told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday.

Iniesta’s spectacular year included the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup final, and the 26-year-old is a strong favorite to win the FIFA Ballon D’Or award for player of the year on Jan. 10.

However, Barca’s hierarchy has not ruled out offloading him for a huge transfer fee, either during the January window or next summer, in a bid to cut into the club’s enormous debt of around $575 million. That huge sum was revealed by club officials three months ago following the end of former club president Joan Lapporta’s controversial reign. While big-club debt is not uncommon, the number is staggering.

Barcelona's Andres Iniesta was one of 2010's top players, but that only makes him more appealing as a way out of debt.

“[iniesta’s] stock will never be higher,” said the source. “He has had an amazing year and he is part of the fabric of [barcelona], but that doesn’t mean the right offer won’t be considered and possibly accepted.”

The 5-foot-7 midfielder has spent his entire career at the Camp Nou and has helped the team win the La Liga title the past two seasons. The combination of Iniesta with Xavi Hernandez and Lionel Messi – the other two finalists for the Ballon D’Or – is a major reason why Barca is considered not only the best, but also the most attractive club in the world.

In normal circumstances, Barca would not entertain selling a player who has become so popular and valuable. However, deep financial uncertainty has the powers-that-be considering drastic measures to combat the debt.

Last week Barcelona announced the first shirt sponsorship deal in its history, accepting $200 million over five years from the Qatar Foundation in exchange for pride of place on the famous blue and red jersey.

Iniesta would be valued at around $85 million, a figure that only one club could realistically pay. English Premier League side Manchester City, bankrolled by the unlimited resources of Arabian billionaire Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, has shown willingness to splash obscene amounts of cash in order to boost its chance of success.

City’s progress this season – it currently sits third in the Premier League table, just two points back from leaders Manchester United – could convince Sheikh Mansour that one spectacular January signing may be enough to tip them over the edge and clinch an unexpected Premier League crown. It also should be noted that no signings would make more waves than anything involving Iniesta.

Stay tuned.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ro-iniesta121410

Maybe you'll get Milner back after all.

[theunderstudy]

Milner at Villa again... would love it.

[Rob182]

one spectacular January signing may be enough to tip them over the edge and clinch an unexpected Premier League crown.

... Also I bet Iniesta would love to feature in a Europa League Final

[dudevillaisnice]

one spectacular January signing may be enough to tip them over the edge and clinch an unexpected Premier League crown.

... Also I bet Iniesta would love to feature in a Europa League Final

hahahahahaha!

[Mantis]

If Iniesta goes to Man City watch how quickly one of the world's best football players turns average.

[The_Rev]

Ah, lazy journalism ftw. Barcelona will not be selling Iniesta any time soon, but thanks to Martin Rodgers for reminding us that Manchester City have a lot of money.

[TrentVilla]

Is it April 1st already?

[EssexVilla]

Why would they sell the 26 year old when they have a 30 year old with a readymade replacement who supports the club?

[The_Rev]

Mostly because Xavi is a better player than Iniesta and Fabregas.

Barcelona simply wont sell him though. Why would they? All the journalist is suggesting is that despite him not having seen Barcelona's accounts or thought about other ways they can generate income, that it would be a good idea for them to sell one of their three crown jewels to a club who have oil money. This also assumes that Iniesta would be happy to give up his position as a lynchpin in arguably the greatest football team of all time to be at a volatile club which hasnt won anything for 34 years. If Barcelona do elect to sell players, it will be fringe players that they can get quite a bit of money for who will go first. People like Bojan and Suarez will go before one of the important players. Given they have just signed an eye wateringly good sponsorship deal with Qatar, I cant see them needing to sell anybody but hey, writing that down wont get as many clicks as teasing gullible Manchester City fans will and the guy has to put food on the table somehow.

[Gingerlad]

As if Iniesta would go to Man City?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Zatman]

This also assumes that Iniesta would be happy to give up his position as a lynchpin in arguably the greatest football team of all time to be at a volatile club which hasnt won anything for 34 years

Lies. They won a 3rd division play-off vs mighty Gillingham a few years ago ..

Think its a BS rumour as Iniesta seems more intelligent to go to City.