Premier League - Manchester City's shopping list

Eurosport - Fri, 05 Sep 01:08:00 2008

Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim has promised Manchester City fans no fewer than 18 world-class signings, but who will he bring to Eastlands in January?

2008 Cristiano Ronaldo - 0

Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid) - £30m

City fans have fond memories of the Goat, and the Horse would be worth every penny if he could match Shaun Goater's 84 goals in 184 games for the club. Marca said Al-Fahim "seemed to be in love with Van Nistelrooy," for whom he reportedly offered a blank cheque.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - £80m

Messi topped a Manchester Evening News poll as the player the fans most want to see at Eastlands. Spoilsports have dared suggest that he might prefer to stay at Barcelona.

Vedran Corluka (Tottenham Hotspur) - £15m

Amid the drama of the takeover City somehow mislaid their Croatian right-back. With the vast fees surrounding their transfer activity now, City can expect to pay an inflated price if they want him back.

Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) - £60m

Al-Fahim has declared his ambition to take the Citizens into the Champions League. Signing Fabregas would not only bolster Mark Hughes's side but leave Arsenal with a crippled midfield and £60m their manager doesn't know how to spend.

Ruben de la Red (Real Madrid) - £20m

The young Spanish international has been tipped as the next Georgi Kinkladze. City would do well to learn from Getafe's mistake and refrain from including a buy-back clause in the deal.

Javier Saviola (Real Madrid) - £30m

The transfer rumours seem based on the calculation that a team needs roughly 10 strikers to every defender. As such it is only a matter of time before Saviola joins Argentine team-mate Pablo Zabaleta at Eastlands.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) - £134m

Despite mixed feelings amongst the City fans, "the world's biggest club" are expected to pursue the world's most coveted player. Although the fee is rather high, Ronaldo would not need a housing allowance.

Ronaldo (Flamengo, on trial) - £20m

City have promised to sign Ronaldo, and if the lure of Eastlands somehow fails to attract Cristiano, the new owners may have to settle for the corpulent Brazilian. Last season a typing error saw City waste their cash on Rolando, but Signor Bianchi is now at Torino.

Pele - Free Transfer

Despite his millions, Abramovich has always recognised the appeal of a cheeky free transfer. See: Neil Sullivan, Steve Sidwell, Tal Ben Haim. Robinho has fanned the flames linking the experienced hitman to City, "If he had been me, he would have done the same."

The entire Manchester United squad - £500m

If you want to win the Premier and Champions Leagues you need players who have been there and done it. City might also look at local stadium Old Trafford to help accommodate their new London-based fans. In retrospect, it might have been simpler to just buy Manchester United.

Total spending: £889m

James Garner / Eurosport

Comment 341 - 360 of 360

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  1. carlos eduardo
    lulinha
    renatinho

    this what they should be concebtrating on and not whats listed here. exapnad your stadium or you youth academy

    From Leo Kaizer, on Sun 3 May 4:03AM
  2. THis person is crazy,he talks rubbish
    i bet you he will not get to buy any of the players listed in the list!! u suck!!!

    From Zairin, on Sun 7 Sep 9:45AM
  3. mustapha halimi, with anmar 79, is another @#$%.

    From spurs, on Sun 7 Sep 6:36AM
  4. rite he might flash the cash but he needs to have the right players if they buy all these players not all of the right places will be filled and there is other talent out there somwere and it wont be much of a competion if they buy all the best players in the world im a manchester united fan myself and i can see this bloke is ambicious but he will realise sooner or later that if he wants to buy evry1 he will run out of money and end up bankrupt!!!!AND THATS A FACT

    From anthony.pope4@..., on Sat 6 Sep 7:36PM
  5. mustapha_halimi, you, are a big disgusting piece of garbage
    "I was a fan of MU but became a Chelsea supporter after it became a strong club and won the premiership twice.Now I see MC has the potential to be stronger than MU,C'sea,L'pool or ARSEnal.I just love supporting a team that can achieve great things in the coming seasons.I am not like some of the fanatic fans who will support their club no matter what"
    This is trash talk you can go burn in hell. you dont even deserve to be watching soccer and supporting any team, you take soccer like fashion and not like sport. Going to whichever is performing better. You, are pathetic and really should just roll over and die. Fan=fanatic so you are not a fan.
    By the way man city will never get anymore players from madrid nor man u nor chelsea nor liverpool nor any team. Ruud? Cesc? torres? up your god dam arab ***. a great club is defined by history and achievements not by amount of cash, it ruins the spirit of the game. Those arabs can be burned and crucified for ruining the game, and they think they are going to be a bigger team than man u or real madrid. they should really run off before they become a laughing stock.
    I am and always will be a RM supporter through thick and thin.

    From Colonize, on Sat 6 Sep 9:34AM
  6. i think mancity arent going to buy the whole manutd squad beacuse there will be dead person on road it will be of th owner of manchester city.

    From sanjuvjacob, on Sat 6 Sep 8:13AM
  7. u do not know what u r saying, soulturabomb

    From Seyi A, on Fri 5 Sep 9:31PM
  8. Suprised to see no Chelsea players on there, after all most of that team don't play for the badge.

    From soulturabomb, on Fri 5 Sep 8:15PM
  9. what a load of rubbish they will never sign any of them

    From Katie B, on Fri 5 Sep 7:00PM
  10. please please please somebody explain the phrase "realistic" to Mr Al-Fahim

    From emailcathal2006, on Fri 5 Sep 6:31PM
  11. All we are saying;give us ,more goals,more winning.Big players,big problem.This season will be a season of suprise for those that concentrated on big name players,some young once will rise and suprise them.I am just afraid of the clubs with young talented players cos they take control at the end of the season.

    Mbaiorga Daniel.

    From Dannydancer, on Fri 5 Sep 3:52PM
  12. Money can't buy history, tradition, a reputation and class. Berbatov said it all, "If I wanted money I could have gone to City or Chelsea. But I wanted to wear the red shirt and play for the biggest club in the world". UNITED!

    From akinrade3, on Fri 5 Sep 3:32PM
  13. It will be a fine mess. ManU will win all.

    From Legolas, on Fri 5 Sep 3:14PM
  14. james garner from eurosport is such a joker.
    i like this article.

    From spurs, on Fri 5 Sep 3:14PM
  15. wash. UP BLUES!!!

    From Seyi A, on Fri 5 Sep 2:34PM
  16. waoooooooo, this is interesting but this guys are kind of crazy. anyway, ts only gonna make premiership more interesting.no more favourite clubs, no more under-dogs. let the stars fight it out.just hope one more mad billonaire takes up another club.

    From Nony, on Fri 5 Sep 2:29PM
  17. U N I T E D united mean f@@k all to me with a nick nack paddy wack give a dog a bone would you like another loan

    From m.smith119@..., on Fri 5 Sep 1:33PM
  18. vladmir weiss?

    From BallsDeep, on Fri 5 Sep 12:37PM
  19. I have to applaud jason I, on his comments, the first from someone who knows what he is talking about, is passionate about his team, and somewhat supportive of the moves City have taken. Unlike him I am a Blue (47years) and have seen the lot but still followed through all the ups and more downs. My only concern is the effect of the signings on the young talent coming through - The Youth team that won the FA Youth cup, like United in the 90's was home grown - not like the Chelsea side which cost over £8M. M.H. should look at all that is available, and use all to their best ability, and in my eyes - Ched Evans for one is streets ahead of Vassell and Jo if the UEFA game is anything to go by. Another prospect from the youth - Chris Weiss - outstanding youngster - one we need to nurture into our team for the future. So overall the jury should still be out on what the future holds - its going to be a long season - p.s. its a good job Robinhio is in Brazil as it is pissing it down here in Manchester and I'm sure he would be wondering where he has come too !!!

    From Phillip C, on Fri 5 Sep 10:32AM
  20. manchester city....
    i like the club
    but one problem its being too ambitious here people
    i mean mancity!!!!
    comon it should stay in its limits
    which is 3rd after arsenal and chelsea

    From chicken salad, on Fri 5 Sep 10:25AM
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