kippaxblue76
Well-Known Member
Still a possibility of signing Gago in the summer according to this;
Manchester City still want to sign Fernando Gago from Real Madrid
• Mancini comfirms likelihood of renewed bid
• Johnson sets sights on European place
* Buzz up!
* Digg it
* Tim Rich
* guardian.co.uk, Thursday 4 February 2010 21.20 GMT
* Article history
Fernando Gago
Manchester City had given up on signing Fernando Gago when Real Madrid quoted a ?22m asking price. Photograph: Stephen Pond/Empics Sport
Manchester City are likely to make a fresh move for Fernando Gago in the summer, the manager, Roberto Mancini, has confirmed. The club insisted it would have signed the 23-year-old defensive midfielder had Real Madrid not waited until the afternoon of transfer deadline day to lower their €25m (£22m) asking price.
"Gago is a good player for Real Madrid, a fantastic player and we may move for him again in the summer," Mancini said yesterday. "There is a possibility to take him then." Mancini said that because City felt Gago was overpriced, they tried to take the Kenyan midfielder McDonald Mariga from Parma; a move which collapsed due to work permit issues on Monday.
"We wanted Mariga and for me the situation is incredible because he has played in Europe for seven years," said Mancini. "I don't understand the decision, I don't know why the application was refused but he has gone to Internazionale now so there is no possibility of a deal."
City made just one permanent transfer in the January transfer window, the England Under-21 midfielder Adam Johnson, signed from Middlesbrough on a four-and-a-half-year contract. Mancini said that his display for Boro against City in the FA Cup last month convinced him to make a £7m offer. It was one Johnson, a graduate of the Middlesbrough academy that produced Stewart Downing, was unable to refuse.
"To be picked to come here and be told you can make an impact is a wonderful thing," Johnson said. "It is nice to see young British talent coming through and there should be much more of that.
"With the players that Manchester City have available, you have to talk about the Big Five now. If you look around the dressing room, it is as good as any in the Premier League. I had a taste of Europe with Middlesbrough as a young lad and that is something I want again."
Johnson said he would tone down his habit of playing practical jokes on his team-mates until he had settled in, but he might have reminded Stephen Ireland and Martin Petrov that they were part of a City side that lost 8-1 on Teesside and that he was one of the scorers.
Manchester City still want to sign Fernando Gago from Real Madrid
• Mancini comfirms likelihood of renewed bid
• Johnson sets sights on European place
* Buzz up!
* Digg it
* Tim Rich
* guardian.co.uk, Thursday 4 February 2010 21.20 GMT
* Article history
Fernando Gago
Manchester City had given up on signing Fernando Gago when Real Madrid quoted a ?22m asking price. Photograph: Stephen Pond/Empics Sport
Manchester City are likely to make a fresh move for Fernando Gago in the summer, the manager, Roberto Mancini, has confirmed. The club insisted it would have signed the 23-year-old defensive midfielder had Real Madrid not waited until the afternoon of transfer deadline day to lower their €25m (£22m) asking price.
"Gago is a good player for Real Madrid, a fantastic player and we may move for him again in the summer," Mancini said yesterday. "There is a possibility to take him then." Mancini said that because City felt Gago was overpriced, they tried to take the Kenyan midfielder McDonald Mariga from Parma; a move which collapsed due to work permit issues on Monday.
"We wanted Mariga and for me the situation is incredible because he has played in Europe for seven years," said Mancini. "I don't understand the decision, I don't know why the application was refused but he has gone to Internazionale now so there is no possibility of a deal."
City made just one permanent transfer in the January transfer window, the England Under-21 midfielder Adam Johnson, signed from Middlesbrough on a four-and-a-half-year contract. Mancini said that his display for Boro against City in the FA Cup last month convinced him to make a £7m offer. It was one Johnson, a graduate of the Middlesbrough academy that produced Stewart Downing, was unable to refuse.
"To be picked to come here and be told you can make an impact is a wonderful thing," Johnson said. "It is nice to see young British talent coming through and there should be much more of that.
"With the players that Manchester City have available, you have to talk about the Big Five now. If you look around the dressing room, it is as good as any in the Premier League. I had a taste of Europe with Middlesbrough as a young lad and that is something I want again."
Johnson said he would tone down his habit of playing practical jokes on his team-mates until he had settled in, but he might have reminded Stephen Ireland and Martin Petrov that they were part of a City side that lost 8-1 on Teesside and that he was one of the scorers.