Man City transfer window 2015: £130m well spent for Citizens
The deposed champions were slick in their transfer dealings and got everyone on their shopping list except Pogba
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The days of Financial Fair Play restrictions seem a long time ago for Manchester City, who splashed £130m in the transfer window.
"City are the clear winners of the window of the heavyweight clubs," says The Guardian. "They boast the stellar transfer in Raheem Sterling and they arguably boast the bargain acquisition in Fabian Delph." The late arrivals of Nicolas Otamendi and Kevin de Bruyne are the icing on the cake.
It was a "slick operation" says the Daily Telegraph. "City missed out on Paul Pogba due to the Juventus midfielder's demands, but they landed everyone else on their list."
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It seems that, not for the first time, the team that performed best in the summer transfer window is also setting the pace in the title race. Perhaps the only disappointment will have been James Milner's decision to join Liverpool.
Players in: Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Nicolas Otamendi (Valencia), Patrick Roberts (Fulham), Kevin de Bruyne (Wolfsburg).
Players out: Matija Nastastic (Schalke), Alvaro Negredo (Valencia), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Scott Sinclair (Aston Villa), James Milner (Liverpool), Micah Richards (Aston Villa), Stevan Jovetic (Inter Milan), Edin Dzeko (Roma), Frank Lampard (New York City FC), John Guidetti (Celta Vigo)
Man City transfer news: £54m De Bruyne finally agrees deal
1 September
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To nobody's great surprise Manchester City completed the signing of Kevin De Bruyne on Sunday in what the Sky Blues said was a six-year deal, which is also the second biggest in Premier League history, behind Man United's ill-fated swoop for Angel di Maria.
The Belgian international playmaker joins Raheem Sterling, Fabian Delph and Nicolas Otamendi as the Premier League leaders' fourth major signing of the signing, and he told the official Man City website: "I want to reach the highest level possible as a player and I think the most important thing is that at the end of the season we can be happy and maybe have some titles."
City manager Manuel Pellegrini seemed pretty chuffed with the latest addition to his squad, declaring: "We like to play attractive, attacking football and bringing in a player like De Bruyne will only aid us as we fight on four fronts."
According to The Sun, the 24-year-old De Bruyne will pocket £200,000 a week at the Etihad and the whole deal, including agents' fees, has topped "a staggering £54m".
Man City transfer news: £58m deal for De Bruyne is 'insane'
28 August
This weekend will see the completion of Belgium playmaker Kevin de Bruyne's move from Wolfsburg to Manchester City, claims Talksport.
The Citizens have been tailing the former Chelsea star for weeks with conflicting messages emanating from Germany but Talksport says that De Bruyne - voted the Bundesliga's Player of the Year last season – is on his way to the Etihad after the two clubs "finally agreed a deal".
It's believed that City will pay Wolfsburg (drawn in Manchester United's Champions League pool last night) a total of £58m, made up of a £54m down payment plus adds-on, and that De Bruyne will pen a five-year deal with "insane" wages at his new club.
How insane? According to The Sun De Bruyne will "become the highest-paid Manchester City player ever" when he signs his contract, earning weekly wages of £280,000, which as the paper points out is more than Yaya Toure's £220,000 weekly wage packet and Sergio Aguero's £240,000 for seven days work. As for Raheem Sterling, who signed on for City from Liverpool in a £49m earlier in the summer, he'll be wondering where he went wrong with his derisory £200,000 a week wages. Perhaps he will demand a transfer.
The transfer is a Bundesliga record by what the Sun describes as a "a whopping £19m" and Wolfsburg general manager Klaus Allofs admitted on Thursday night that the club is more or less powerless in the face of City's wealth: "Kevin has had an astonishing offer from City and we can't compete with that," he said. "We had to take it seriously and finally we decided to start negotiations with City."
Man City transfer news: Bayern Munich join De Bruyne chase
26 August
Mystery surrounds the fate of Kevin de Bruyne with Sky Sports reporting that Wolfsburg "have held talks" with Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge about the winger joining the Bundesliga champions at the end of the season.
That won't go down well at the Etihad, especially since the Citizens are believed to be in discussions with Wolfsburg about a £58m move in the next few days. Sky Sports say that the Sky Blues remain "favourites" to land the former Chelsea wide-man but the interest of Bayern will no doubt sound a warning bell for City.
One piece of good news for light blue Mancunians, however, is the confirmation from Sky that De Bruyne’s representatives "have had no contact or discussions with Manchester United", contrary to recent rumours among the more excitable elements in the British press, or as Karim Benzema might say, the "clowns"
One player said to be on his way out of the Etihad in the coming days is defender Jason Denayer. The Daily Mail claims that the 20-year-old "has held talks with Marseille" as he weighs up a loan offer from Turkish outfit Galatasaray.
The Belgian international blocker was in Istanbul on Monday for talks with Galatasaray but the Mail says that Denayer - who spent last season on loan at Celtic - "is keeping his options open" and has spoken to Marseille manager Michel over the possibility of a move to the south of France.
Man City transfer news: De Bruyne puzzle, Otamendi flies in
18 August
After weeks of innuendo and speculation the future of Kevin de Bruyne remains as unclear as ever following conflicting messages from the player and his agent.
According to Goal.com, Manchester City have tabled a £45m bid for the former Chelsea man, having tracked him for months. But the website reports that De Bruyne "appeared to dismiss any chance of a move to the Etihad Stadium" at an awards ceremony on Monday by telling the presenter he would "definitely play for Wolfsburg this season".
That drew a sharp retort from the 24-year-old's agent, Patrick De Koster, who said that De Bruyne was put in "an awkward position" by the presenter. "I am furious by what has happened," thundered De Koster. "No decision has been made on Kevin's future in this transfer window. We have yet to find out if Wolfsburg has reached any agreement with a club."
Meanwhile, website (2)Inside Spanish Football reports that Valencia centre-back Nicolas Otamendi has arrived in Manchester to agree a deal with City. Long linked with United, it appears their noisy neighbours have won the race to his hand with what's believed to be a €40m offer. However, Valencia are still trying to persuade City to up their offer to meet the €50m asking price.
Meanwhile, Otamendi sits tight in Manchester "awaiting for word that the two clubs have reached an agreement".
Man City transfer news: Pedro lined up as foil for Sterling
13 August
Just hours after Barcelona conceded they were losing the battle to keep hold of Pedro, news emerged that his final destination might not be Old Trafford.
According to Spanish paper Marca, noisy neighbours Manchester City are plotting an audacious swoop for the 28-year-old Spanish international. Pedro netted the winner in Barcelona's stunning 5-4 Super Cup triumph over Sevilla and that seems to have prompted the Citizens to act. In reporting Marca's bombshell, Caughtoffside.com states that City "will offer at least an initial fee of €30m (£21m), which could rise to €32m (£22.8m) with add-ons".
United are believed to be willing to offer no more than £22.8m leaving City in the box-seat. Manuel Pellegrini apparently believes the capture of Pedro would complement new signing Raheem Sterling on the left-flank with Sergio Aguero playing in a central striking role.
Whether or not City do land Pedro, it's immaterial as far as Edin Dzeko is concerned because he's joined Roma on a season-long loan. The official Sky Blues website announced the deal in a statement that said the loan could lead "to a permanent transfer if certain conditions are met".
Dzeko joined City in January 2011 and played 189 times for the Blues during his four-and-a-half year stay. "Everybody at the Club wishes Edin the very best for the future and thank him for his excellent service with Manchester City," the statement ended.
Man City transfer news: De Bruyne hints at Wolfsburg exit
7 August
Kevin de Bruyne has dropped his biggest hint yet that he is on his way to Man City, after refusing to commit his future to current club Wolfsburg.
The former Chelsea starlet has been linked with a move to the Etihad all summer and now he appears to have acknowledged that he could be on his way back to the Premier League. At least that's the Daily Mirror's take on the 23-year-old's comments at an awards ceremony this week. Collecting Germany's footballer of the year trophy on Thursday, the winger was asked if he would be at his current club this season after sporting director Klaus Allofs recently insisted he would stay despite rumours of City's interest and offers in excess of £50m.
"I'm not one who says that I'm staying here," he replied. "If in the end it happens, you cannot say that I would have lied. That's just football, but I know of course that it is not easy for the fans."
The Sky Blues have drawn a blank in their attempt to prise grizzled Uruguayan defender Diego Godin from Atletico Madrid.
The Daily Mail claims that City boss Manuel Pellegrini had "identified" the centre-back as the man to stiffen the sinews of the club's defence. The paper went on to claim that they were ready to meet Madrid's "buyout clause set at £28m" and hoped a deal could be agreed. But Spanish daily Marca has shot down that story, reporting that Godin has rejected the idea of a move to the Etihad despite the prospect of a considerable hike in his salary.
Conveying the gist of Marca's story, Insidefutbol.com says Atletico Madrid are preparing a new deal for the 29-year-old that will recognise his loyalty. Godin joined in 2010 and the Uruguayan "is ready to commit his long-term future to the club" by penning a long-term contract.
Man City transfer news: £50m for De Bruyne, Dzeko to Roma
5 August
If Man City want to get their hands on Kevin De Bruyne it's going to cost them £50m, but the Citizens are "increasingly confident" they will sign the former Chelsea forward from Wolfsburg.
A deal could be on the cards, says the Daily Mirror, despite club CEO Klaus Allofs claiming recently that De Bruyne was "unsellable". It appears that the German club have failed to convince the 24-year-old to sign a new contract, and reluctantly Wolfsburg "have made it known they will listen to offers", provided those offers are in the region of £50m.
However, things do not look so rosy when it comes to Paul Pogba. Sky Sports had a chat with Mathias Pogba, older brother of Paul, as he signed on for a stint with Scottish side Partick and when asked if the French midfielder could be set to swap Juventus for either Manchester City or Chelsea, Mathias replied: "To be honest right now he's not going anywhere, he's a Juventus player, and the interest is there but right now he is playing, enjoying his football in Italy."
After much speculation Edin Dzeko has left Manchester City. Sky Sports were first to break the news, reporting that the Sky Blues had "agreed a £14m fee with AS Roma" for the Bosnian frontman. The broadcaster adds that the 29-year-old, who moved to the Etihad Stadium four years ago from Wolfsburg in a £27m deal, has "already agreed personal terms" with the Serie A team. All that remains is for Dzeko to travel to Rome for a medical and Sky Sports predict that the transfer will be wrapped up within the next 24 hours.
Dzeko never managed to nail down a regular starting place at City and it's believed manager Manuel Pellegrini sanctioned the transfer following City's purchase of Raheem Sterling last month.