Balotelli done today?

Rumours abound, the one catching most attention regards Balotelli's agent and lawyer having a meeting with MCFC officials today to tie up the loose ends on the transfer. The outcome being that the transfer is hours away not days. Whether it is remains to be seen.

Anyone unsure of the phenominal ability of Mario Balotelli?

For many Italian fans he is seen as a trouble-maker, a bad apple, a disruptive influence. For the few who see below the surface he is the saviour of Italian football, a giant in the making, future world player of the year, that's how highly he is rated.

His ability is in no doubt, nor is his temprament but we must remember this is a young man who made his debut for Inter Milan at the age of 15, yes that's right 15 years old!

Roberto Mancini will bring the very best out of him, the reason? Mancini believes in this lad and Balotelli believes in Mancini that bond of trust and belief will help develop Mario Balotelli into one of the great strikers of his generation, provided he listens and learns, as he matures he should become a forward to strike fear into the heart of any defence in the world.

Meanwhile.....

City played their third game of the US tour yesterday as they took on Mexican side Club America. With several of the world cup absentees returning it was a more recognisable team that took to the pitch.

Yaya Toure had an impressive 45mins making his City debut, showing glimpses of what we can come to expect in the soon to arrive Premier League season.

There were also returns for Gareth Barry, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Vladimir Weiss and a second half return from his shoulder injury for number one stopper, Shay Given.

City's first real sight on goal was Adam Johnson's shot from the corner of the area,dipping just over the top, Club America's busy midfielder Montenegro hit the post beating Joe Hart's despairing dive.

It was City that made the breakthrough Johnson's weaving run into the box resulted in Masquera bringing down the lively winger. Adebayor placed the ball on the spot and calmly slotted it low to the keepers right, 1-0 to City and that was how it remained as the whistle blew on a decent half of football.


After the break both teams made changes and it was Club America's sub Esqueda who made the first big impact equalising just minutes after half-time, Jo later went close as his shot is deflected wide by the keeper, the ever busy Montenegro fired in a fierce shot that beat Given but came back off the post. In the latter stages, Weiss had a shot from the edge of the box which the keeper spilled to Jo's feet but he was unable to finish.

City then had two chances to score in as many minutes, firstly Adebayor hits bar after through ball from Jo split the Mexican defence.

That was how it finished a 1-1 draw played with a good tempo and so to penalties...

First up was City's goalscorer Adebayor he scored low to keepers right where he'd already scored previously (1-0), Pardo(CA) stepped up to score down the middle (1-1), Jo, who had a hatful of opportunities to score in normal time confidently stepped up to send his shot the same way as Ade (2-1), next up was Mosquera(CA) having given the penalty for City's goal could he redeem himself? The answer was no Given making a save to his right (2-1).

Weiss fresh from the World Cup slotted his spot kick to keepers left(3-1), Montenegro(CA) who had been denied twice by the woodwork saw his shot saved Given diving to his left(3-1), the next one is a pressure shot, score and it's over miss and it continues, who do you want in a pressure situation?
Patrick Vieira of course, after composing himself he slotted his spot kick low to the keepers right to give City a 4-1 win.

With all the penalty takers finding the back of the net and Given making 2 saves, City pick up their first piece of silverware under Mancini, abliet not the kind were dreaming of, but all things start somewhere.

Now the squad prepare to face Italian domestic 'double' winners and reigning European Champions Inter Milan on Saturday.

Ruining football? Glory hunters?.....Not so.

As a City fan for over 30 years I can assure you all that even at our lowest point in the 3rd tier of football we had a hardcore of fans numbering almost 30,000. We followed them on the way down and we followed them on the way back up, we are still following them now.

City will invest heavily for this window and the next just to get on level playing field (pardon the pun) with the established top 4 teams, then the spending will be curbed once a solid foundation is laid within the squad.

Think of it as buying a house, you layout a huge amount of cash up front, then as time goes on you add a new bathroom, kitchen, conservatory.

As for ruining football? Does making the likes of Bellamy, Ireland, Jo and Hart available for loan (while city are paying part of their wages) to clubs who otherwise couldn't afford them really ruin football?

Balotelli inches closer to City switch.

Mario Balotelli is expected to become a Man City player in the next 48 hours, the powerful forward will sign a 5 year deal and take City's summer spending over the £100m mark for the second successive summer transfer window.

Roberto Mancini has admitted openly that if the circumstances were right he would like to sign Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, speaking on Sunday after City's 2-1 defeat to the New York Red Bulls, Mancini said,

"Torres is one of the best strikers in Europe and already knows the Premier League very well," he said. "But it depends on his situation, his price and whether he(Torres) wants to come. There are two or three strikers that we could go for. "

, before going on to say he wasn't yet sure who would be in his 25 man squad when it is submitted to the FA on, or before 1st September.

He also confirmed some players would be leaving rather than gathering dust with no first team football, a situation that suits both club and player.

New York Red Bulls v City

The second game of the pre-season ended in a 2-1 defeat for City as Mancini shuffled his pack once again.

Many are taking a view that Mancini is merely placing fringe players in the window.

Portland Timbers v City

Manchester City's pre-season got underway in Oregon with a comfortable 3-0 win over the Portland Timbers on Saturday night.

Roberto Mancini didn't hesitate in giving Joe Hart a game just 48 hours after arriving. He showed no signs of jetlag with a smart save to deny Gaudet.

Craig Bellamy cut in from the right wing and rattled the crossbar but it was two goals just before the end of the first-half. Adam Johnson's cross was touched in by Stephen Ireland, seconds later it was Johnson again providing the cross for Adebayor to nod in despite Cronin's best effort to keep it out.

Belt up and Buckle in.

The names being suggested as potential transfer targets grow exponentially as each day passes and some refuse to go away, the likes of Kaka, Torres and Gerrard to name but three. With the world cup now resigned to history deals that were previously on hold can now be concluded, who will come and who goes remains to be seen.

Of one thing I am certain, we are on the brink of something amazing at OUR club. I've been wound up about being a fan of 'ikkle city' all my life like countless thousands around the world but today my friends we are the envy of every fan on the planet, even those who claim to hate us have one beady eye trained constantly on the progress of the club.

We are the noisy neighbours and we've just bought a huge set of Wharfdale's and an amp that goes up to eleven.

Balotelli, Dzeko, Ibra?

Mario Ballotelli has hinted that a switch to the Premier League could be on the cards. Ballotelli, 19, is linked with both City and United. He intimated he is flattered with the interest but his comment suggests United to be his prefered choice.

According to Corriere dello Sport "Roberto Mancini? He's a great coach, I debuted in Serie A with him because he is a great friend. If he and (Sir Alex) Ferguson want me, it means I'm not as bad as I thought.

"United is a great club. They have not seen the real Balotelli, for sure I need to learn and achieve more goals. I want to win the Golden Ball in 2011. As for the future, I always say I don't know."

Rumours, Rumours, Rumours

Long term transfer target Fernando Torres is reportedly willing to listen to approaches after the Spaniards World Cup adventure ends. Spanish boss Vicente Del Bosque has ordered players not to discuss transfer dealings until after the World Cup has finished and Torres is willing to abide by his coach's demands

.

Torres stated last year he thought Liverpool should sign the likes of Tevez and Silva who are now both on City's books. It has been suggested that Torres was quite instrumental in David Silva's decisionto sign for City. The prospect of Tevez, Torres and Silva as part of a front line is no doubt a daunting one for opposing defenders.

David Luiz is another name linked with a summer switch to Eastlands, the highly rated Benfica left back has the potential to be one of the best in european football.

City reportedly tabled a bid on 2nd July a statement was released by Benfica president, Luis Felipe Vieira,

"David Luiz only leaves Benfica if any club pays the real value in the market," he said.
"We are not interested in the operation because he is a key man for the team and Benfica want to avoid the exit of many men to reduce our power."

City's New Recruits

Jerome Boateng signed from SV Hamburg for a fee believed to be £11.5m, the versatile defender currently preparing for a World Cup semi-final in South Africa.

David Silva another summer acquisition for a fee believed to be in the region of £25m, Silva is also currently preparing for a World Cup showdown, ironically he could be lining up in direct opposition to Boateng.

The third signing of what has so far been a sensational summer of activity was the much coveted Ivorian giant Yaya Toure, a player who many regard as the finest holding midfielder in the world.

Things are not only happening on the playing staff, Ex-England under 21 boss David Platt has joined as 1st team coach. Platt, who speaks fluent Italian, has a long standing friendship with former Sampdoria team mate and current City boss Mancini.