http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...leaves-manchester-citys-transfer-options-open
Sergio Aguero is targeting a first-team comeback for Manchester City next month after a scan on his knee discovered the injury isn’t as bad as first feared.
Roberto Mancini admitted he was ‘worried’ after Aguero was stretchered off 15 minutes into the victory over Southampton at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
But after the game Aguero tweeted that there was ‘no significant damage’ and with a scan bringing more positive news, the 24-year-old is in line to make his return when City visit Stoke on September 15.
He could even have an outside chance of being fit for QPR’s visit to the Etihad on September 1, City’s last game before the international break. The news will focus Mancini’s efforts in the last 10 days of the transfer window on securing either of his top midfield targets, Daniele De Rossi or Javi Martinez.
Mancini had revealed that any long-term injury to Aguero could force him to look for a new striker but that’s now unlikely with the Argentine due back in a matter of weeks rather than months.
De Rossi and Martinez would both command fees in excess of £30m and City face a race against time to get rid of high-earning Roque Santa Cruz and Emmanuel Adebayor before the window shuts.
Adebayor is still wanted by Andre Villas-Boas at Tottenham with Jermain Defoe currently their only recognised striker.
Spurs, however, aren’t prepared to accommodate Adebayor’s £170,000-a-week wages into their strict pay structure, which has a ceiling of £70,000-a-week.
Mancini insists he hasn’t held discussions about the possibility of Nigel de Jong – out of contract next summer – leaving for Inter Milan.
But the Italian did concede that Adam Johnson might be forced to look elsewhere to secure first-team football although he insisted the England winger would be welcomed back into the fold if he couldn’t engineer a move away.
“Adam can have a future here but you should also understand when you are 23 or 24 years old, you want to play,” said Mancini.
“If you are at a top team, you can't always do that, so I agree, if he wants to, he has to leave.
“But if that happens I will be so sorry because Adam is a good guy. He is a different player to the other strikers and wingers and maybe he could be important for us.”
One player definitely not heading to City is Martin Skrtel. The Liverpool defender, linked with a move to the Etihad earlier in the summer, has signed a new deal at Anfield.
