Another day, another signing |
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day another signing...and of course the shed load of rumours to go with
it anticipating the next player in through the door.
Despite the nonsense stories about being able to sign our latest new face 'on the cheap' in the summer, the Daily Mail
focus on Nigel de Jong, the midfielder who actually signed a new deal
with Hamburg until 2011 just a few months ago...anyway whoever let the
truth get in the way of a story ready and willing to bash the Blues
again..?
'He’s not Kaka, but new recruit De Jong can be Manchester City’s driving force'
As
Manchester City have found out to their cost this week, it is going to
take more than money to persuade the cream of Europe's talent to buy
into their big plans at Eastlands.
Obtaining Kaka's signature, despite the millions on offer, proved to be a bridge too far for City's powerbrokers.
But
few would have thought persuading a midfield ball-winning 'pitbull' to
sign on the dotted line would have turned out to be almost as tough a
selling job.
So it has transpired with Mark Hughes's most expensive acquisition of the transfer window thus far, £15million Nigel de Jong.
The
24-year-old midfielder is clearly nobody's fool. Having been brought up
on a tough Amsterdam council estate by his mother Marja, De Jong had to
come to terms with his father, former PSV and Maastricht defender
Jerry, walking out on the family just as his son was about to take his
first steps in football with the revered Ajax Academy.
As the
eldest of five children, Nigel had to be man of the house and keep up
with his school work while honing his football skills.
He passed
that test with flying colours, having left school with the equivalent
of three A-levels while at the same time making his first-team debut
for Ajax as a 17-year-old.
He is a firm believer that a
footballer's education in the classroom is as important as hours spent
on the training pitch and it is that sharp mind which could have quite
easily led him to snub the riches on offer at Eastlands.
For De
Jong is a successful entrepreneur in his own right, a true self-made
man. He has a highly successful car dealership with an Iranian business
partner, adding a little extra 'bling' to the most sought after marques.
In
Hamburg, he bought a tennis complex and converted it into a giant
showroom full of jazzed-up Ferraris, Mercedes and Aston Martins and
counts his good friend Robin van Persie and a smattering of Real Madrid
stars as his clients.
Should Sheik Mansour be tempted to put even
more money his way, he need only venture down to the latest branch of
'De Jong' motors in Abu Dhabi to see if there is anything that he
fancies.
It is said that De Jong makes as much money - if not
more - from his luxury car venture as he does from that cash was not
the main reason for his City move.
De Jong is understood to have
pondered long and hard before snubbing the chance to become Hamburg's
highest paid player on £2.8m a year.
And it has taken a PR pitch
similar to that which City intended to use on Kaka, which promises of
further player recruitment and Champions League football sooner rather
than later, to convince him to move.
The very fact that City have
opted to pay £15m now rather than wait until the summer when - with
just 12 months remaining on his contract - a release clause of just
£2.3m would have come into effect, suggests Hughes' need is far greater
than that of De Jong.
His arrival will see him slot into the
midfield berth currently occupied by former Hamburg team-mate Vincent
Kompany, with the Belgian dropping into his favoured central defensive
role at the expense of either the erratic Richard Dunne or an
underperforming Micah Richards.
The fact that De Jong cites
Claude Makelele and Patrick Vieira as his idols, along with Brazilian
goal machine Romario, bodes well for City supporters.
De Jong
said of his move: 'It is the next step in my career after three years
in Germany and I hope to be successful at Manchester City.
'The ideas and the planning behind this club are very hopeful and it is a new adventure, so I am delighted to be here.'
The Daily Mirror start today's rumour mill off with...
'Manchester City to bid £15million for Didier Drogba'
Manchester City are set to make a £15million bid to land Didier Drogba.
The Eastlands outfit want to exploit Drogba's fall-out with Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari by landing the Ivory Coast hitman.
And while no bid has been made, Drogba and Chelsea are aware of City's interest in taking him to Manchester.
Despite
the fractured relationship between Scolari and Drogba, the Londoners
are unlikely to listen to City's advances, while the striker himself is
understood to want to see out the rest of the season at Stamford Bridge
and then consider his options.
Rebel Robinho has been ordered
to make an immediate return to England after storming out of City's
Tenerife training camp. Although he has apologised to manager Mark
Hughes in a lengthy telephone call, the Brazilian is still facing a
record Premier League fine o f £320,000 for his disappearing act.
City
fly back from their break tomorrow and Robinho has been told in no
uncertain terms he must also be back in England to prepare for City's
game against Newcastle.
Although Robinho is said to be dismayed
by City's failure to sign his Brazil team-mate Kaka in what would have
been a recordbreaking deal, that was not the reason for his
disappearing act on Monday night.
Mirror Sport has learned
Chelsea have stepped up their interest in him and the player is unsure
of his future despite re-iterating his commitment to City.
And
while it was mooted Chelsea might be interested in a straight swap with
Drogba to acquire the services of Robinho, FIFA rules preclude a player
turning out for more than two clubs in a 12-month period unless they
can cite "just sporting reason" for leaving their second club.
Robinho has played for Real Madrid and City.
City
hope to sign Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz for around £19m after
completing the signing of Nigel De Jong from Hamburg for £15m.
Hughes
is making a £6m move for Newcastle keeper Shay Given and if
unsuccessful, Hughes will fight Tottenham for Chelsea's Carlo Cudicini,
35, for whom Spurs have offered £1m.
The Independent add...
'City make Henry top target for summer'
Barcelona striker becomes next big-name target after collapse of Kaka deal
Manchester
City have conceded defeat in their pursuit of a marquee signing in this
transfer window but will consider returning to Barcelona for Thierry
Henry this summer, having received an indication that the Frenchman did
not feel January was the right time to leave the Nou Camp for the
Premier League club's project.
The City manager, Mark Hughes,
and executive chairman, Garry Cook, would both like Henry at Eastlands
and the chastening experience of the past few days, as their pursuit of
Kaka blew up in their faces, has not put them off the idea of
high-profile signings this summer.
Doubts over Robinho not
being around by then lessened last night when it emerged that the
player had apologised to Hughes in a telephone call. Robinho assured
the City manager he would be back in Manchester at the weekend and,
after fining him two weeks' wages (£320,000), the club hope that will
be an end to the matter.
City last night completed the signing
of Nigel de Jong from Hamburg. The Ducth international midfielder has
agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal after the clubs settled on a fee of
£17m.
Though Henry has settled at the Nou Camp after his
turbulent start to life there, he appears to fit City's profile of a
player whose broader image rights could have value. He would also
understand Cook's notion about maximising footballers' intellectual
property rights. Cook and City believe that a failure by Kaka's father,
Bosco Leite, and his wider entourage, to "get" the image rights idea
contributed to the collapse of the club's quest. The French player,
whose Barcelona contract expires in 2011, would probably command a
price of around £14m – £2m less than Barcelona paid for him. The club
have certainly not been left with the impression that their pursuit of
the striker is a lost cause.
Henry's age would appear to raise
more of a question mark than his willingness to abandon the prospect of
Champions League football next season with a resurgent Barcelona. He
will be 32 at the start of next season. He indicated in a recent
interview with a Spanish sports magazine he might be looking for a
Beckham-style challenge in the US, rather than add to his 15 years at
the top level. "My career will be over soon and, being a striker,
things go even faster," Henry told the magazine. "I have never run as
much as I do at Barcelona. Physically I am OK and the way I run here
demonstrates that, but the hotels and the travelling take its toll.
When my career in Europe ends I have always said that I would like to
play in the United States and it seems that is the way it is going to
be."
Cook's more immediate concern is reinforcing Hughes' side
for the push towards a Uefa Cup place. The lack of an out-an-out
striker and a convincing centre-half are a serious concern and, though
Cook appears to be under the impression that Arsenal's Kolo Touré is
out of reach, he is still interested in signing him. "He's not for sale
is he? I don't know," Cook said.
Another potential target for
the summer, rather than now, is Manchester United's Carlos Tevez as
Hughes is a fan of his. But City accept they will not now be signing
the Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon at any stage.
Neither
has Cook given up hope of signing Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn
Rovers, despite manager Sam Allardyce's declaration that it will take a
"knockout" offer of £30m to £40m – equivalent to the immediate cost of
relegation to Rovers – to bring him to the club and that bids of around
£18m tabled so far are not even in range.
"The last I heard,
which was from Mr Allardyce, was that they were looking to bring in
another striker before they make a decision," Cook said.
The Daily Mail say...
'Fulham move in for Manchester City striker Caicedo'
Fulham have opened preliminary talks with Manchester City over signing 20-year-old Felipe Caicedo.
The
Ecuador striker, signed for £5.2million from Basle a year ago by the
previous City regime, has scored three goals in seven appearances this
season but slipped further down the pecking order following the arrival
of Craig Bellamy.
And finally, ahead of their Premier League trip to Manchester this coming Wednesday, the Guardian bring us news from Newcastle...
'Kinnear proud of his brawlers but Given looks bound for City'
• Manchester City's £5m bid turned down
• Training-ground brawl dismissed as 'handbags'
Joe
Kinnear may be losing the battle to keep Shay Given at St James' Park,
but the Newcastle manager is not overly concerned about his players
fighting in training. Charles N'Zogbia and Andy Carroll had to be
separated and then dragged apart by team-mates after trading stinging
blows during a subsequently abandoned workoutyesterday .
It is
understood that the winger and the centre-forward continued their
heated argument in the changing rooms and the car park. Eventually
security staff intervened and the two were led to their respective
vehicles. It is believed they have still to resolve their differences,
but Kinnear affected an air of unconcern .
"I won't be taking any
action," said the manager, who is facing a lengthy touchline ban after
collecting three Football Association charges in as many months. "I
can't stop players being passionate and I wouldn't want to. It was just
handbags. It's been blown out of all proportion. It was a very intense,
excellent training session, as we always have at the club. It was a
fiery session. There was a late challenge and a reaction to it. It was
as simple as that."
Last Saturday Newcastle team-mates had to act
as peacemakers when Joey Barton began berating his colleague José
Enrique during their 3-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers but, again, Kinnear
merely praised Barton's "passion". In view of such indiscipline it is
small wonder Given is understood to be keen on joining Manchester City.
Newcastle have turned down a £5m bid for the goalkeeper but City have
returned with a £6m offer and it is thought Newcastle are resigned to
losing Given should Mark Hughes persuade his paymasters to up their
offer to £8m-£10m.
Steve Harper is a capable deputy but he is
also disillusioned and has refused to extend his contract, which runs
out in June. "Shay's a top-quality goalkeeper and the last thing I want
to do is lose him," said Kinnear, but with Geremi refusing to join
Besiktas for £1.5m the manager is under pressure to raise funds.
"I
would not want to see Shay leave Newcastle because I still support
them," said the former St James' Park midfielder Rob Lee. "But I
wouldn't blame him for going because Newcastle is probably not the best
place to be at the moment. They are in a bit of turmoil."
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