Manchester is the talk of European football but this time City, not United, has been the name most frequently on the lips of those in the know.
While the continent’s footballing aristocracy have been dirtying their hands erecting ‘for sale’ signs in their dressing rooms and been equally busy pleading for their stars to take wage cuts, the Blues and their go-ahead board have been bucking the trend in quite spectacular fashion.
As of this morning, Maine Road chief Kevin Keegan had made the most expensive single purchase of the summer by splashing out £12.5million, plus reserve striker Alioune Toure, on French superstar Nicolas Anelka.
Although that figure may eventually be dwarfed should Rio Ferdinand swap Elland Road for Old Trafford, it made players, agents and managers sit up and take notice.
That purchase of Anelka didn’t so much smash, as obliterate, the Blues’ old transfer record set only last season at £5m for fellow striker Jon Macken.
Keegan’s total summer outlay of £22m is currently far more than any other side in the Premiership other than Lee Bowyer-bound Liverpool, ten times more than Arsenal and 20 times more than Blackburn, Chelsea, Leeds, Sunderland, Spurs, and West Ham combined.
The ambitious Blues have also splashed out more than Barcelona, the two Milan giants combined and £20m more than Lazio, Roma, and Bayern Munich.
It is no wonder that every big name player who becomes available - like Juninho last week - is immediately, often spuriously, linked with Kevin Keegan’s blue revolution.
[So basically whilst everyone else appears to have learned the lesson, the Divs continue to throw cash about irresponsibly. Division Two, and bankruptcy, is calling you once again]
Also from the MEN:
Shaun Goater will miss an opportunity to stake his claim for one of the striking berths during the Blues pre-season jaunt to Denmark as he will be busy helping his country at Manchester’s Commonwealth Games.
Keegan’s first chance to run the rule over his first team squad in competitive action will come in a Danish tournament held in late July, but City’s cult hero will be working as attaché for the Bermudan team.
This will involve the Goat acting as guide and advisor to the team when they are looking to relax, as well as the considerable honour of accompanying the team in the opening ceremony.
Could even city have realised that he’s useless on the pitch?