Soccer:Manchester City have completed the signing of Italy striker Mario Balotelli from Inter Milan. City have been pursuing Balotelli for much of the summer and have finally landed him on a five-year deal after agreeing an undisclosed fee thought to be around €30 million.
The combustible forward will not be available for tomorrow’s opening Premier League clash with Tottenham.
Manager Roberto Mancini told the club’s website mcfc.co.uk: “I think that Mario is one of the best players of his age in Europe, and I very happy to be working with him again.
“His style of play will suit the Premier League, and because he is still so young there is a big chance for him to improve. He is a strong and exciting player, and City fans will enjoy watching him.”
Balotelli is City's fifth signing of another busy and expensive summer after the arrivals of Jerome Boateng, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Aleksandar Kolarov, with Aston Villa's James Milner still a key target.
Stephen Ireland is demanding a €2.4 million “loyalty payment” from City before considering a move to Aston Villa which places in doubt Milner’s move in the opposite direction.
The Republic of Ireland international agreed to the Villa move as part of a €22 million deal to take Milner to Eastlands, according to reports. However, Ireland requested the €2.4million payment but City said they will not be held to ransom.
The deal was due to be finalised yesterday but has been placed in doubt unless Ireland and his representatives drop their demands.
Ireland (23) came through the City academy and made his debut for the club in 2005 but has fallen out of favour with manager Roberto Mancini, who omitted him from City’s 25-man Premier League squad due to be submitted at the start of September.
He is contracted to City until the end of the 2013-14 season and made 30 appearances for the club last season.
Milner joined Villa from Newcastle for €14.5m in 2008 having previously played for Leeds.
Meanwhile Ashley Young has said he will wait to discover the identity of Aston Villa's new manager before deciding on his long-term future.
Young has two years left on his current contract and held initial talks over a new deal yesterday.
Sources close to the England winger suggest Young will not look to imminently follow Milner out of the club despite manager Martin O'Neill quitting this week.
It is believed Young is more likely to assess his options in January when the new manager will be place, the extent of Villa's ambitions will be clear and the finer points of a new contract will have been thrashed out.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has often spoke of his admiration for Young and the likes of Everton and Liverpool have also been linked with the 25-year-old hailed as a "genius" by O'Neill.
Young gave a glimpse of his potential by setting up both goals for England skipper Steven Gerrard during the 2-1 win over Hungary at Wembley on Wednesday night.
Young is already Villa's highest wage earner and the board are conscious of not wanting to lose another popular player so soon after Milner if his move to Eastlands goes through.
Caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald will face the media for the first time today ahead of tomorrow's opening Premier League clash with visiting West Ham.