Ru'ya Careers UAE 2024 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Z6-4 platform, from September 24 to 26
jobs11 hours ago
After failing to achieve Champions League qualification last term, City turned to the chequebook once again and Roberto Mancini will approach the new Premier League campaign with a squad brimming with world-class talent.
Spain winger David Silva, Germany full-back Jerome Boateng, Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure and Serbia left-back Aleksandar Kolarov have all arrived at Eastlands during the close-season.
It means that owner Sheikh Mansour has now spent in excess of 284 million pounds (339 million euros) on transfer fees alone since taking over the club in August 2008.
With traditional powerhouses like Real Madrid, AC Milan and Bayern Munich all currently reluctant to splash the cash, City are the only major side in Europe with the resources to make waves in the transfer market.
The result is that they repeatedly find themselves linked with jaw-dropping moves for some of the continent’s biggest names, but Mancini believes they must speculate in order to accumulate.
“Of course we have spent a lot of money this summer,” he said.
“Everyone can see that is the case, but all the teams who have won the Premier League, or La Liga or Serie A in recent years have spent a lot of money. This is not a new thing.
“It is hard to win trophies anywhere if you do not invest in the team in areas where you can improve. That’s what we have done this summer.”
The stockpiling of high-profile international players at the club makes it impossible for Mancini to accommodate all of his big-money stars into the starting line-up.
Central midfield is particularly congested and Toure will be vying with England’s Gareth Barry, Dutch international Nigel de Jong and former France captain Patrick Vieira for one of two likely starting places.
Home-grown talents such as Micah Richards, Nedum Onuoha and Michael Johnson, meanwhile, are likely to find first-team opportunities even harder to come by.
Mancini must also decide how to configure his attack.
Carlos Tevez seems a certain starter after netting 29 goals in a sensational debut season, but Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy, Roque Santa Cruz, Jo, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Adam Johnson and Vladimir Weiss give the Italian a huge variety of attacking options.
Record signing Robinho is also scheduled to return to City in August following a six-month loan spell at his formative club Santos, brought about by his failure to impose himself in England.
That City have managed to attract talents like Toure and Silva despite not qualifying for the Champions League demonstrates both their financial clout and their ambition, but Mancini may not survive if City fall short again.
The former Inter Milan coach succeeded Mark Hughes last December and was philosophical when City were pipped to the final Champions League berth by Tottenham, but such failure will not be tolerated a second time.
Ru'ya Careers UAE 2024 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Z6-4 platform, from September 24 to 26
jobs11 hours ago
Recently, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldo, made history and became the first men's football player to score 900 career goals
football12 hours ago
The festival will run until September 27 at five key metro stations: Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, BurJuman, Union, and DMCC from 5pm to 10pm
transport12 hours ago
Verstappen leads Norris by 59 points in the championship with seven rounds remaining
f114 hours ago
A strike on Hezbollah's stronghold in Lebanon's capital Beirut on Friday killed eight people and wounded dozens of others
mena14 hours ago
He will take part in the sixth Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, which is being hosted by US President Joe Biden
asia14 hours ago
The event will be held at the Ski Dubai Hall in the Mall of the Emirates at 6am
uae15 hours ago
India are looking to extend their lead at the top of the World Test Championship rankings as they begin a fresh Test season of 10 matches
sports15 hours ago