TRANSFER UPDATE: Sanchez, Cahill, Vertonghen, Santa Cruz, Onuoha
13 Jun
If you’re looking for a round up of Man City’s main transfer activity, you’ve come to the right place. This is first instalment of what will become a regular summer feature: The Transfer Update.
Sanchez is Chile’s Hottest Prospect
Much of the talk so far this summer has centred on the Udinese attacker, Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean has been linked with a number of clubs, including Barcelona, Inter Milan, Manchester United and City. By all accounts, his preference is to either remain in Italy or move to the European champions, although we have the financial muscle to outbid the others.
No-one knows for certain at the moment where he will end up, but whoever signs him will be adding true quality to their squad. He is arguably Roberto Mancini’s number one target for this window but we face a battle on our hands if we are to secure his signature.
Jan Could be the Man for City
Another player linked with a move to City is Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen. He is highly rated by his international defensive partner and City’s player of the season, Vincent Kompany, who has raved about his colleague’s ability on the ball. Currently plying his trade for Ajax, the defender can operate in the centre, at left back or even as a defensive midfielder.
Our need for reinforcement at the back was tempered slightly with the news that Kolo Touré is available again from September, but Mancini is still known to be looking for another one in that area. Just 24 years old, Vertonghen has represented his country 30 times and would be a good addition if he were to join the Blues.
Cahill is Pig Sick of the Trotters
One more defender to have been mentioned with regularity is Bolton centre-back Gary Cahill. According to reports, we are competing with Arsenal for the former Villa man who has a price tag of £20m. As far as I’m concerned, he is not of the quality we need if we are to make a mark in the Champions League and it is debatable whether he would even get into the team ahead of Joleon Lescott. So for the price mooted, I’d stay well away from Cahill.
Santa Fails to Deliver the Goods
One player who looks certain to depart from Eastlands is Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz. The former Blackburn man returned to Ewood Park on loan during the January transfer window after making just two appearance in the first part of the season for City. Although he didn’t make a huge impression at Rovers, he seemingly impressed the manager, Steve Kean, who has stated that he would like to bring Santa Cruz back permanently.
If the two clubs can agree a fee, and the striker is willing to take a drop in wages, it is a move likely to happen. It was a Roque ride at Eastlands for the big man, who failed to remain fit long enough to make an impact, and he will hope that he can show his true quality next season. He proved he still has an eye for goal with his strike for Paraguay yesterday in a Copa America warm up match, a strike that will no doubt add an extra million onto his transfer fee!
Nedum Up For A-Newa Challenge?
Nedum Onuoha, who impressed on loan last season with Sunderland, has been linked with a permanent return to the Black Cats. Although he holds City close to his heart, the former Hulme Grammar School student has fallen out of favour with Mancini after some cutting remarks last season and it is likely he will depart.
A report in the MEN today suggested he might like to fight for a final chance at the Blues, thus saving us the need to splash out on either Vertonghen or Cahill. He has the added bonus of being a homegrown player and his versatility would be useful at the back. However, if he does depart, as I still expect, there would be no shortage of suitors for the versatile defender, with reported interest from Bolton, Everton and Stoke, along with Sunderland.
What do you make of the transfer window so far? Which players would you like City to sign and who you be happy to see leave?
This is a pointless article. It is simply speculation with no evidence to back it up.
It is an article which I hope sums up where the possible transfers are up to. So instead of reading countless articles which give a daily update on the situation, I thought it would be a good idea to round up a few of the deals in a couple of paragraphs, thus hopefully helping fans understand the situation in a simple manner.
I hope onuoha stays, he is a very promising player and has love for this club. Although his previous remarks demonstrated his foolishness. And anyone that Kompany seems to rate we shoukd take a look at although we should stil bel bringing in academy players.
As for Cahill, stay away! The simple fact he is English means that he will come with an inflated price tag and we already have capable players embedded in our team.
I would much rather have Nedum than Vertonghen or Cahill. I do not think Cahill is very good, instead he is only another over-rated Englishmen. What we really need is a playmaker (Javier Pastore) and if Tevez leaves then we need to buy a winger and just move Balo up front (Andre Ayew)
I would like to see Onuoha stay. He’s a decent player who I think could at least be the equal of Cahill or Lescott (who impressed me in the latter half of last season). If Tevez leaves, we will need another striker for the times when Balotelli is injured or suspended
Something big must be going on.
Utd have already spent £50M (there must be “value in the market” now. Or the weekness of their midfield has been shown by Barca and City).
Metaphorically, I suspect that Mancini is slipping a couple of billiard balls into a sock, before declaring himself “the daddy”. We’ve had the usual protestations that we won’t spend big or pay over the odds this time, but they never turn out to be true nowadays. Now we have champions league football, I expect at least one kaka-sized transfer to announce our ambition.
Haha Steven loving the pun subtitles! How come you haven’t mentioned Boateng who wants to leave to a bigger club in Bayern and has apparently signed terms with them. I don’t understand why you’d sell an extremely talented young and versatile defender so soon! Boateng could be better than Lescott or Toure at CB and could save yourself splashing 20 odd on someone you don’t need (Cahill). Sanchez would be an excellent signing but he’s said himself he likes United a lot. Likelihood is he’ll go to Barca or Juve. Also selling Onouha so early on in his career may be a bad idea. He knows the club inside out and is an academy product who was there from the beginning of the ‘project’. It’s important to keep a core of youth team players.
I got to agree with you on Boateng. He is a very talented player provided he is played in his favorite position CB. Unfortunately, Toure and goof-prone Lescott have been given priority to him as CB.
I agree with you on virtually all counts there. When I wrote this, there hadn’t been much talk of Boateng, but there has been in the past day or so. I think he’s looked good at CB whenever he’s had the chance (mainly in Europe) to play there, so I would be against selling him, but if his heart is not in it, there’s not much we can do.
And same with Onuoha. Good player, but he’s publically criticised Mancini, which is not on.
Spot on regarding Cahill, no chance he will assist our side in any way, shape or form. A borderline international who is playing for a battling mid-table side, if we want decent defenders teams outside of England are the places to look. Santa Cruz will propel struggling Blackburn next season. The player you havent mentioned is Weiss, he will be a superstar in the future; Mancini must give him a chance along with other loanees Mee and Caicido. Very pleased with Boateng’s departure.
Love your columns with the exception of the critisism of Alex Kolarov. He was employed by Mancini as an attacking left-back, not a defensive rock. Think of the defensive players who play regular football for us; Richards, Kolo. T, Kompany, Lescott, De-Jong, Barry and to a lesser extent Yaya. T and Milner. They easily cover his ‘questioned’ defensive work-rate. Consider Koloarov’s attacking ability, strength and composure; This is a great asset to a much defensive minded set-up (4-2-3-1) from Mancini and will undoubtably assist us in scoring more goals away from home, particularly, next season as he will, this pre-season to reassess his capabilities and work efficiently with the management team and his teammates to blend his strengths into the chemistry of the team.
thoughts??
Kolarov is a defender. By nature, his primary job is to defend. Yes, his strengths are in attacking and he does indeed offer a good outlet down the left, but if, as a left back, he can’t defend, he’s pretty much useless.
Okay, fair point in regards to his ‘primary job’, desipite this however Mancini demands defensive mindsets from so many players and he believes Kolarov attacking will not hinder the balance between attack and defense of the side.
I think he is a capable defender, extremely capable, and when Mancini sees fit (rarely) he tells Kolarov to stick to his left back position and not transfer forward (eg. Fa Cup Final vs Stoke, 2nd Half). This is when Kolarov is ‘solid as a rock’, he doesnt venture forward and he tackles very well. The problem associated with Alex is obviously his marking as he looses track of his opposition and they roam towards goal, is this his problem or the problem of the entire defensive unit? or even Mancini? People and fans like yourself need to respect his role and have faith that he will succeed in England. Thanks, keep up the great articles.
Apparantly we are getting INIESTA!!! this site is really good for transfer news and it says we may be getting iniesta which maybe true considering fabragas is off to Barca.