Mr. Aguia
Well-Known Member
George Hannah said:This is an outcome devoutly to be wished for
The Swap Deal Manchester City Must Go After
by Lewis Doe
@doelewis
Several online news sources have suggested that Serie A side Roma are interested in signing Maicon.
The Manchester City right back could soon find himself surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium following the return to fitness of Micah Richards and there is good reason for the club to let Maicon go to Roma.
The 31-year-old could be used as bait in a deal to sign Erik Lamela, a player that City were heavily linked with last season, with Roberto Mancini thought to be extremely keen on the young forward.
The reports suggest that Roma value Maicon at a fee of just under £10 million, which is a decent chunk which could come off the financial value of the 21-year-old Roma forward.
The fact Manuel Pellegrini has now replaced Mancini doesn’t change the fact that Lamela is still a very good player and that a swap deal involving Maicon could well be on the cards.
It’s in City’s interests to sound out the Italian side over such a deal because to ignore the chance of a swap deal would be naïve and that’s not the way Pellegrini has gone about his managerial career.
Richards has also been linked with a move away from City but in terms of a long term defensive prospect, he offers far more than Maicon which means the Brazilian defender is the more likely to be sacrificed.
Richards is going to offer more to the club over the next few seasons, as they strive for silverware on all fronts and he’s much more likely to be seen as the back up to Pablo Zabaleta at right back.
Lamela has three years left to run on his current deal with Roma so a swap deal won’t be as straight forward as a player-for-player and City may well have to lace some cash on top to seal the transfer.
They are in a position of strength because they have a very experienced defender who Roma want and they can bargain from that position of authority for a player they have long admired.
Lamela is certainly a player who would offer more than one benefit to Manchester City because he can play as a winger just as effectively as he can play up front in a forward role.
He scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 33 league appearances for Roma last season, which are the main reasons the club became reportedly interested in him in the first place.
Maicon’s position at Manchester City could change now that Pellegrini has been drafted in as manager but it’s unlikely and the club should seriously look at trying to sign one of the best young talents in Europe in the process of his exit.
<a class="postlink" href="http://hereisthecity.com/2013/07/03/ld-the-swap-deal-manchester-city-must-go-after/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://hereisthecity.com/2013/07/03/ld- ... -go-after/</a>?
10m for Maicon? No way. We paid 3m for him last year and he spent the majority of the season injured and will be 32 in a couple weeks. I'd be shocked if we get 3m for him.