CITY have dismissed reports they have made a world record bid for Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Senior sources at Eastlands have exclusively told manchestereveningnews.co.uk that they have made no approach for the Spanish international – despite reports claiming they were ready to spend a staggering £129m to prise him from the Bernabeu.
City believe they have become victims of the publicity surrounding their newfound status as the world’s richest club.
They claim agents are acting without authority to broker deals for some of the game’s biggest names – Casillas being just the latest star to be linked with a move.
Reports in Spain claimed City’s new Abu Dhabi owners had approached the Real keeper’s agent, but had been told the player had no intention of heading to England.
Even with Sheikh Mansour’s billions, the size of the deal always looked unrealistic.
The fee would have dwarfed the £45m Real spent on Zinedine Zidane and is also considerably less than the £70m City are said to be willing to pay for AC Milan's Kaka.
A more likely option would be Italian international Gianluigi Buffon, who would cost considerably less and is known to interest Mark Hughes.
Targets
City are understood to be considering a move for the Juventus man, who is currently the most expensive keeper in the world having cost £32m when signed from Parma in 2001.
City executive chairman Garry Cook revealed that he and Hughes had already drawn up a list of targets.
"We want the right players who will take this club forward and through discussions and meetings between myself, Mark Hughes and his technical staff, we have identified a list of targets," he said.
"We will be working to bring those players to the club ourselves and we have not given another party or individual a mandate to negotiate on our behalf: in spite of recent reports, we are not using intermediaries to negotiate with players. In fact, only last week we refused two agents permission to seek out players on our behalf.
"Mark Hughes and I very recently met with the Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, to discuss this matter and we are all in agreement: that the mandate for seeking out and securing new playing personnel for Manchester City Football club is ours and ours alone. Furthermore, we would also like to assure everyone concerned that we are committed to recruiting only those players who we consider to be the very best and most suitable for Manchester City Football Club in the future.”
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
citydan (03/12/2008 at 12:47)
bluelight, Levenshulme (03/12/2008 at 12:58)
Maybe if his teeth were made out of platinum and his nipples were diamonds.
Peter Ireland (03/12/2008 at 13:03)
Bla Bla Bla (03/12/2008 at 13:03)
Dunneymonster (03/12/2008 at 13:06)
EVO, SOMERSET (03/12/2008 at 13:07)
Casillas is obviously an enormous talent but why oh why have we started being linked with these incredible sums of money for players. Having the cash to pay immediately for a player should mean paying less not more. I´m sure even the Arabs don´t want to be ripped off.
The one player we should break the bank for, and the only one in my opinion, is Messi. He is the greatest player around at this moment in time and not Red Ronny or Robbo´s mate.
cabeenomontoya, dubllin (03/12/2008 at 13:11)
deemcfc (03/12/2008 at 13:13)
Bugsy Blue (03/12/2008 at 13:20)
Tameside Blue, Tameside (03/12/2008 at 13:22)
On another note friends and fellow blues, take a look at the story on the mai page about a woman who took the rap for her husband speeding. It's not the story as such, but there's a priceless posting from macca_mufc
Have a look and have a laugh
The Kippax Fart, lingering around your nostrils (03/12/2008 at 13:28)
Esso Blue, Manchester (03/12/2008 at 13:29)
Kippax Lover, Manchester (03/12/2008 at 13:31)
Casillas' agent says some 'Arab intermediary' has made the offer of £12m salary.
Garry Cook has said that there is no 'Arab intermediary' authorised to negotiate a deal for City. All deals are conducted through Cook and Hughes and that woman from Newmarket. Cook has denied the Casillas story. It's some agent trying to make a quick buck.
It appears that the Buffon story / offer has more substance but it won't happen this season.
However, a big rumour in football circles is that Kaka is seriously considering the potential of moving to City.
January transfers
Casillas = 0/10
Buffon = 0/10
Kaka = 6/10 (early days)
Diarra = 10/10
Grosso = 6/10
Santa Cruz 9/10
Start pinching yourself my blue comrades.
We are not really here.........are we?
The Gruffalo, The Deep, Dark Wood (03/12/2008 at 13:36)
3/12/2008 at 13:22
Unbelievable. Well found.
I bet his knuckles slide along the floor a bit easier when it's icy!
The link is http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/c/1083127_speeding_ldrivers_false_steer_
Bluereed,Swimming in me neighbours fishtank, (03/12/2008 at 13:38)
Keysey (03/12/2008 at 13:39)
Oh yes we're pretty big time these days my friends!
Big Mal, Manchester (03/12/2008 at 13:40)
Kippax Lover, Manchester (03/12/2008 at 13:40)
“Manchester City Football Club has a clear strategy for the future: we want the right players who will take this club forward and through discussions and meetings between myself, Mark Hughes and his technical staff, we have identified a list of targets.
We will be working to bring those players to the club ourselves and we have not given another party or individual a mandate to negotiate on our behalf: in spite of recent reports, we are not using intermediaries to negotiate with players. In fact, only last week we refused two agents permission to seek out players on our behalf.
Mark Hughes and I very recently met with the Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, to discuss this matter and we are all in agreement: that the mandate for seeking out and securing new playing personnel for Manchester City Football club is ours and ours alone. Furthermore, we would also like to assure everyone concerned that we are committed to recruiting only those players who we consider to be the very best and most suitable for Manchester City Football Club in the future.”
curiousyellow, Rusholme (03/12/2008 at 13:41)
Joe Mercer's Ghost, Ramsbottom (03/12/2008 at 13:41)
Kippax Lover, Manchester (03/12/2008 at 13:42)
“Manchester City Football Club has a clear strategy for the future: we want the right players who will take this club forward and through discussions and meetings between myself, Mark Hughes and his technical staff, we have identified a list of targets.
We will be working to bring those players to the club ourselves and we have not given another party or individual a mandate to negotiate on our behalf: in spite of recent reports, we are not using intermediaries to negotiate with players. In fact, only last week we refused two agents permission to seek out players on our behalf.
Mark Hughes and I very recently met with the Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, to discuss this matter and we are all in agreement: that the mandate for seeking out and securing new playing personnel for Manchester City Football club is ours and ours alone. Furthermore, we would also like to assure everyone concerned that we are committed to recruiting only those players who we consider to be the very best and most suitable for Manchester City Football Club in the future.”
bluemoon risin' (03/12/2008 at 13:45)
numptyed, Oldham (03/12/2008 at 13:51)
“Manchester City Football Club has a clear strategy for the future: we want the right players who will take this club forward and through discussions and meetings between myself, Mark Hughes and his technical staff, we have identified a list of targets.
We will be working to bring those players to the club ourselves and we have not given another party or individual a mandate to negotiate on our behalf: in spite of recent reports, we are not using intermediaries to negotiate with players. In fact, only last week we refused two agents permission to seek out players on our behalf.
Mark Hughes and I very recently met with the Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, to discuss this matter and we are all in agreement: that the mandate for seeking out and securing new playing personnel for Manchester City Football club is ours and ours alone. Furthermore, we would also like to assure everyone concerned that we are committed to recruiting only those players who we consider to be the very best and most suitable for Manchester City Football Club in the future.”
warrington blue again, warrington (03/12/2008 at 13:57)
However visit guillembalague.com/rumours and read about the distinct liklihood of Kaka's arrival. Also,just been discussed on Talksport is the liklihood of David Villa's availability as his current club have to find 50M Euros before 31 December 08 to fulfill their financial obligations on their new stadium.
Many a so called 'learned' pundit has rubbished the idea of success in the January window but many big clubs need some serious cash at short notice and will be offloading - especially if their involvement in the Champions League is less than assured, and for many clubs, its not.
Where's Trumann Gone? (03/12/2008 at 14:02)