Patrick Vieira is set to join Manchester City after completing a medical at the club on Thursday. The former Arsenal captain will make his return to English football after a spell in Italy and will reportedly sign a 6-month contract at City with the option of an additional year.
Vieira was keen to link up with his former Inter boss Roberto Mancini, who was recently appointed manager at Eastlands, and has stated the move came from his desire to make the trip to South Africa for this summer’s World Cup.
“I wanted to go to the World Cup and I need playing time,” the Frenchman said.
“I have objectives and I can’t achieve them by staying at Inter where I am not part of the coach’s choice.”
Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho confirmed this week that Vieira had played his last match for the Nerazzurri.
There were rumors that he would rejoin his former club Arsenal, but City jumped at the chance to sign Vieira, and the midfielder will become Mancini’s first signing since joining the club.
Coyle Bolton-Bound
Burnley boss Owen Coyle looks likely to take over at the Reebok after Gary Megson was fired last week. The club are resigned to losing Coyle to the Trotters after he “reaffirmed his desire to leave”.
Terms for financial compensation of the move have not yet been finalized, but the Scot’s departure from Turf Moor appears imminent.
“We tried charm, we tried persuasion, we twisted his arm, but he is excited about Bolton,” said Burnley’s operations director Brendan Flood.
Coyle took the club to the top flight for the first time in 33 years last season, but he was reportedly unhappy with the amount of funds he had to work with at Turf Moor. He played for the Trotters in the early 90’s and Bolton supporters will be hoping he can turn around their dire season which sees them right in the middle of a relegation fight.
“He believes that there’s a bigger budget that he can use there which will better his career. I’m really, really sad and disappointed,” added Flood.
“We understand football is a very fickle game and everybody tends to look after themselves, but from a relationship point of view Owen was our ideal leader and he was a bit of a folk hero with the fans.”
Burnley are currently 14th in the league table, but are just two points above 18th place Bolton, and Coyle may now find himself battling his former employers in order to stay in the Premier League.
Liverpool Close In On Maxi Rodriguez
Rafa Benitez’s winter transfer hunting will reportedly begin with Argentina international Maxi Rodriguez in a deal worth $2.4 million.
In what looks like a great bargain for Benitez, the midfielder is set to sign an 18-month contract with the Merseyside outfit. Initially it was thought that the player would only be available for a loan deal, but Rodriguez has also reportedly taken a pay-cut from his current salary at Atletico Madrid in order to make a permanent move to Anfield.
Benitez has had to do some reshuffling in his squad over the last few weeks, with Andriy Voronin and Andrea Dossena on the way out, but Rodriguez will certainly provide a much needed boost to Liverpool’s midfield.
Make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed to get the latest breaking news and analysis!
