Bianchi fee agreed

July 12, 2007

CITY are close to signing Italian striker Rolando Bianchi after agreeing a fee with his current club Reggina.

The 24-year-old, who scored 18 goals in Serie A last season, is to undergo a medical at City’s Carrington training ground today.

Bianchi, who has played for the Azzurri at under-21 level, would be City’s first signing since Sven-Goran Eriksson’s appointment as manager.

Reggina claim the fee for Bianchi is £8.8million, though City have not disclosed the agreed price.

The Italian club’s president Pasquale Foti told gazzetta.it: “The negotiations are going forward and there is a willingness for an agreement.

“There are no problems at the moment and I think it will be shortly concluded.”

Eriksson is hopeful the deal can be completed for Bianchi to be a City player by the time of the club’s first pre-season friendly at Doncaster on Saturday.

Bianchi would not be involved at the Keepmoat Stadium but at least a swift conclusion to the transfer - Eriksson’s first since he succeeded Stuart Pearce as manager last week - would allow the Italian to have a couple of training sessions with his new team-mates before they depart for a two-game tour of Sweden next Wednesday.

Eriksson has made it a priority to bring in striking reinforcements - City scored just 29 goals last season.Check back for developments.

| Submit Comments | Comments (90) |

Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

mozza_100, Ashton-under-Lyne (12/07/2007 at 15:36)

One of many I would hope.

Seems keen as mustard on Sky Sports!

I hope more signings of this ilk will be made in the coming weeks.

Blue Expat, Bangkok (12/07/2007 at 15:37)

How much is the fee?....

CTID, Reading (12/07/2007 at 15:38)

good good, 3 or 4 more signings please sven.CTID

Bad Apple, The dressing room (12/07/2007 at 15:46)

Good news.

Also, Valencia for the Thomas Cook match, pre-season sorted!

It's all coming together, we just need about 6 more players now!

islandr (12/07/2007 at 15:47)

Well done Sven, you just signed corradi the second.
I thought bianchi was a drink?

WelshBlue (12/07/2007 at 15:52)

Corradi the second? not sure about that one mate -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFwlltfhXdo

CTID

Cymru am byth

Blue John, London (12/07/2007 at 15:54)

Good. Let's hope he turns out to be a sight better than most of the other Italians who've made the Switch to the Prem (Zola and Vialli honourably excepted)! Now then Sven, let's forget this Ljungberg nonsense and get on with bringing some other young, hungry talents in. Bentley, Drenthe, Defoe, Elmander (or Kanoute), plus a couple of half decent central midfielders does it for me.

Bluetooth, Manchester (12/07/2007 at 15:56)

Good news. I wonder if it will be the usual undisclosed fee?

Some midfielders next, please.

Gaz Blue, Just off Deansgate (12/07/2007 at 15:57)

Blues - I would take if from this that Corradi will be staying to help the young lad settle in..... let's wipe the slate clean and give all the squad our support ..... past mistakes cannot cloud our future progress..... We need to build for the future

The Kippax Kid, Irlam (Now London) (12/07/2007 at 16:01)

Corradi the second indeed. They were both born in Italy and they are both male. This is getting spooky!

Glad to have a signing under the belt and I am actually starting to warm to the Ljungberg idea, albeit, not for 6 mil! 2 or 3 tops.

Would like a nice central midfielder now. Not Steven Gerrard though, he is male and was born in England, surely that means he would be McSpannerman the second!

Blue Moon.

Jesper, Copenhagen (12/07/2007 at 16:02)

islandr, Corradi has never scored 18 goals in a season. Scoring that many in the Serie A and for a team like Reggina is very good indeed and I seriously doubt Sven would sign a player similar to Corradi with his knowledge of Italian football and Corradis failures at City. At least we are signing one of the hottest prospects in Europe rather than some old and tired has-been as we have done too many times before. Would still have liked to see Huntelaar at the club but he would want to play in Europe.

kevbl, Manchester (12/07/2007 at 16:03)

Fab...now we have to go and get Riquelme. He's only on loan at Boca and is available.

Anyone else been watching Copa America? He's class..

uzirugby (12/07/2007 at 16:06)

He seems really good accordign to SKY SPORTS!

Sven wanted him at any price so must be worth the fee then!!

I hope he is!!

Also Sign DEFOE!!

and VAN DA VAART!!

Back on the M6, St Albans (12/07/2007 at 16:07)

Well done Sven. This guy looks like he plays with a passion with a good eye for goal. Please could we have Pederson from Blackburn on the left. I even hear City was his boyhood team. Bring him on............

Grimble (12/07/2007 at 16:09)

I think you are getting confused with the drinks Bacardi or Bianco Islandr!!!!

Sven has actually purchased a promising young finisher. It may take him a little time to settle, but if you can consistently score goals in Serie A against them defences, he stands a hell of chance in the Prem.

How can you call him the Corradi the second? Check him out and YouTube and you'll find he knows where the back of the net is!!!!

the blue nun, warrington (12/07/2007 at 16:10)

kevbi, riquleme is class. he would be great. anyone heard whats going on with freddie ?

bluesoapopera, Blackley Manchester (12/07/2007 at 16:10)

I wish these idiots would stop comparing him to Corradi and writing him off already. Get behind him next season, give him time to settle. He is a decent player. Corradi just hasnt the pace for the premiership but would have scored alot more if we had any decent wide man last year, instead of Pearces insistance to crush every last drain of confidence out of Samaras and play him on the wing. We were all frustrated last year, but give everyone a clean slate this year, The Greek will come good if the moaners looking for a scapegoat keep slaggin him off. Lets stop being so negative all the time. Id rather turn up at City every week with 30000 getting behind the team, than 45,000 with 15000 of them getting on a players back during the game, it does them no good.
Keep the faith, get behind the team and get ready for another rollercoaster, you wouldnt have it any other way!

uzirugby (12/07/2007 at 16:11)

SVEN PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS!

BID FOR VAN DER VAART

FROM HAMBURG!!

HE WILL COST AROUND 10MILLION!

HOWEVER WORTH THE MONEY HE IS CLASS!!

M.E.N GET THIS INFO OVER TO SVEN!!

I KNOW ALL CITY FANS WOULD LOVE HIM!!!

Chuck Norris - Ninja, Naam (12/07/2007 at 16:12)

9 million seems a lot but who am I to argue!!! If he scores a home goal it will be worth it!!!

Adam Borch (12/07/2007 at 16:13)

@ kevbl, Manchester: you can forget about Riquelme! There is no room for that kind of player in Svennis football philosophy. 4-4-2 is the key term; four defenders on line and four midfielders on line. The players need to fit that system and Riquelme needs much more flexibilty than that.

I'm not at all sure about this fellow, Bianchi. If he is such a big talent why hasn't any of the really big Italian clubs been interested?

He smells of another Seria A one-hit-wonder like e.g. Tavano was last season. The club needs more proven talent than this!

Magic Mike, Middleton (12/07/2007 at 16:15)

My mate watches italian football and he say this guy is class and awsome in the air. Only worry is will he settle? I suppose every player you buy may not settle so it's no gamble IMO

Mike (12/07/2007 at 16:15)

Well done Sven, keep em coming.

Mike (12/07/2007 at 16:17)

Hey dont forget Di Canio and the Silver Feather. 2 wingers needed to feed this guy though.

Ste, Cheshire (12/07/2007 at 16:19)

Cant see the fee being as high as quoted and ceretainly not all payable in one go.

According to sky it is between us and boro for Wilhemsson and he will cost maybe £2-3mil. If we get Ljundberg for £6m then I reckon we will be looking at 2 more signings at the most before the season starts. A central midfielder and Defender. Save some cash for Janaury when we will have a clearer idea of whether the push for europe is on.

the mole, a dark place (12/07/2007 at 16:20)

Can we have a quality centre back and midfielder now please

()

Report

Manchester City