MAN CITY BALOTELLI DEAL OFF
ABOVE: Manchester City are losing interest in Mario Balotelli after the Inter hitman made huge wage demands
“
Players know this club has money, but we will not be taken for a ride with pay demands like this
”
Manchester City source
5th August 2010
By Kevin Francis
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MARIO BALOTELLI'S move to Manchester City could collapse because of his ‘ludicrous’ pay demands.
The 19-year-old Inter Milan striker is believed to be demanding a staggering £180,000 a week from the Eastlands club.
In addition, his agents are asking for a lucrative image rights deal, plus other add-ons.
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City are now baulking at the deal, which is further being hampered by Inter president Massimo Morati holding out for £30m for the marksman.
City are prepared to go no higher than £25m, with an insider saying: “The fee is too high and his wage demands are just ludicrous.”
Talks have now hit the buffers with both clubs digging their heels in over the fee for the time being at least.
But even if they eventually come to an agreement, Balotelli, who will be 20 later this month, will have to lower his personal demands.
The City source said: “Players know this club has money, but we will not be taken for a ride with pay demands like this.”
One possible solution could be to off-load Robinho in a part exchange deal with Inter.
Robinho’s six-month loan deal with Santos ended last night and Inter are believed to be one of the clubs interested in signing him. He still has two years of his contract at City remaining and Santos don’t have enough transfer funds to buy him.
City are desperate to offload the Brazilian flop who has rarely shown any kind of form since his £32.5m move from Real Madrid two years ago. City know they are unlikely to recoup the money they shelled out for him and will let him go in a cut-price deal.
Meanwhile, Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is unlikely to succeed in a bid to prise goalkeeper Joe Hart away from City on loan.
Bruce wants the England international after losing first-choice keeper Craig Gordon for at least the first six weeks of the new campaign with a broken arm.
Bruce said: “We’ve asked the question of City and we have to wait and see what they say. The timetable is not up to us on when we get an answer.
“It’s up to them. With these new 25-man squad rules, clubs don’t have to confirm their squads until the end of August.
“So, if they wanted to, City could delay any decisions on their squad until then.”
Bruce knows Hart has said he wants to leave on loan if he is not holding down a regular first-team berth at Eastlands.
But a source said: “He’s not going anywhere right now. Manager Roberto Mancini hasn’t even said who is going to be No.1 yet for the new season.”
It’s a straight fight between Hart and Shay Given with the latter thought to be favourite to start the season. But, until the situation becomes clearer, any attempt to take Hart on loan will be turned down.
Both keepers played for a half in last night’s 3-1 friendly defeat against Borussia Dortmund, with Hart saving a first half penalty
Inter striker Mario Balotelli is set to join Premier League club Manchester City in the coming days, according to the latest reports emanating from Italy.
Sky Sport Italia claim that a deal has been practically finalised between the two clubs and that an official announcement will be made in the next few days. It's been reported that Balotelli has been offered a five-year contract that will see him earn €3.5 million per season.
Meanwhile ESPNSoccernet claim that Balotelli, who will turn 20 next week, is demanding £180,000-a-week plus image rights to join City and that his wage demands have reportedly delayed the deal. Nonetheless, with City particularly eager for the transfer to go through, it is thought that an agreement will be reached sooner rather than later.
The teenager missed Inter's pre-season friendly against Panathinaikos in Toronto on Tuesday because he lost his travel documents and stayed back in the US instead of journeying to Canada.
But the Nerazzurri have now returned to the United States. The team has arrived at a hotel in Plano, Texas ahead of tomorrow evening's meeting with FC Dallas. At 6pm local time on Wednesday they will train at FC Dallas' home stadium of Pizza Hut Park, a session that Mario is expected to attend.
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Manchester City target Diego Forlan as fallback for Mario Balotelli
August 05, 2010 | Transfer gossip | 1 Comments |
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Diego Forlan
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Diego Forlan
Who or What Where
Uruguay World Cup star Diego Forlan has reportedly emerged as a target for Manchester City .
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Atletico Madrid forward is on Roberto Mancini's wish list, with the Manchester City boss having failed thus far to tie up a deal for Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli.
Forlan, the winner of the Golden Ball player of the tournament award in South Africa, had been linked with Tottenham, Juventus, Inter, Milan and Manchester United .
He has insisted he is staying at Atletico, but Mancini is hoping the mega-rich Eastlands outfit can lure the 31-year-old South American away from La Liga.