Manchester City join Inter Milan, Juventus and Arsenal in the chase for Le Havre teenager Jules Ntcham

Manchester City are attempting to overcome interest from Inter Milan, Juventus and Arsenal to sign Le Havre teenager Jules Ntcham, a 16 year-old billed as the most promising French youngster of his generation

The midfielder, who captains the France Under-16 team, has resisted Le Havre’s attempts to tie him to a professional contract since his 16th birthday in February and could be available for no more than a small compensation fee this summer.

Le Havre, who are in the French second division, threatened to report Manchester United to Fifa for poaching teenage midfielder Paul Pogba in 2009 before dropping their threatened legal action.

But having lured Ntcham from the third division amateur club Paris FC, Le Havre now face a losing battle to resist interest in the player from Europe’s leading clubs.

Inter are understood to be in pole position to sign Ntcham, who has been likened to Marcel Desailly by French observers because of his ability to attack, defend and create. But with City determined to recruit the best young talent in the world to the Etihad Stadium, senior figures at the club have identified Ntcham as a key target this summer.

-- 18 Apr 2012 00:34 --

According to The Independent,Paddy is on the case........

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foot ... 54770.html

City set Vieira in pursuit of French prodigy

Manchester City are pursuing one of France's most promising talents, the 16-year-old Le Havre midfielder Jules Ntcham, in the hope that the influence of their executive Patrick Vieira might be able to see off the challenge of Internazionale and Juventus for his signature.

Ntcham is a source of huge excitement in France, where he is seen as the next big talent, because of his immense versatility operating from midfield. A player from the Paris suburbs, observers in France see him in the mould of Vieira, Abou Diaby or Marcel Desailly as an individual who can open up defences, attack and defend from the centre.

Even though the teenager will have grown up watching him, Vieira will need all his powers of persuasion for them to secure him. When Ntcham captained and opened the scoring for France's Under-16s against Wales last September, scouts from many European clubs watched him.

- Vieira Key Role

''send....Patrick in'' (deep menacing music)

Interesting snippet by James Ducker of The Times, saying the reason we haven't gone for Pogba is we believe Ntcham will be better. He's already physically more mature apparently despite being a few years younger.

With or without Ntcham, our next under-18s team is going to be like a UN summit, quite the opposite of our very British under-18s team this season!

Our under 18s contains many nationalities already. Possibly 2 years ago we have a 'very British' side.

Our under-18s has one foreign regular - Rusnak. Lopes the young Portuguese kid is just starting to get appearances. Suarez and Rekik never play for the U18s, who else isn't British in the regular matchday squad? Lawlor, Facey, King, Kennedy, Leigh, Meppen-Walter, Plummer, Evans, Drury, Glendon, Hutton, Huws, Hiwula, Henshall, Gunn, Cole, O'Brien, El-Fitouri... all British are they not?

where is El-Fitouri from?

Yeah but how do you pronounce his second name? Doesn't lend itself to songs very well does it?

What rhymes with Ntcham? Nothing, that's what. So for that reason, I'm out!

I think it's pronounced intercom!

Seriously though, check this site out. Has pronunciations by native speakers of most words and names in all sorts of obscure languages!
http://www.forvo.com/word/jules_ntcham/#fr

Don't know exactly where but he's English.

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/sadik ... 10200.html