Gossip from the club

One of the more overlooked stats about the FA Cup is that the winners also pick up a cash prize of £1.8million, small beer maybe but pretty soon sums like that will become important.


The complexion of football finance is changing dramatically thanks to new Uefa rules governing Champions League qualification - not that Mike Rigg can get everybody to understand that.

The Independent's Ian Herbert has interviewed City's technical director, who offers an amusing, sometimes alarming insight into the way minds work when the club is interested in a player.

Herbs writes on independent.co.uk: "It's been a few weeks since Mike Rigg ... who has football agents the world over entreating him to consider how brilliant their clients are, sat in a continental stadium, explaining to the representatives of a player who has been a peripheral target how Uefa's financial fair play regime has had a radical effect on the club's ability to pay big transfer fees.

"The answer he received when he had finished speaking made him wonder why he had wasted his breath. 'So, about this player I was telling you about,' the agent struck up. 'We're talking €50m [£44m]. Great value...'

"Ever since City entered Abu Dhabi ownership 32 months ago, they have had to contend with what has been known at the highest levels of Eastlands as a "City price" – an agent or selling club's practice of adding an extra nought or so when doing business with City.

"But City have broken through the Champions League tape just before the strictures of Uefa's new regime kick in and the cash tap will never gush in the same way again."

Mike is quoted: "I will go into meetings with agents and the opening line is: 'Oh, you can have him for €40m. I'll say, 'What?! Where did you get that figure from?' Then it's: 'Yeah, but he's a good player and you're Manchester City.' We are trying to make them see that the answer to that has to be 'No' now."

Roberto Mancini might be more concerned at the moment about keeping his squad safe from rivals ...

Aussie site theworldgame.com.au runs with a report credited to agency AFP: "German giant Bayern Munich has confirmed it is in talks to buy German international defender Jerome Boateng from FA Cup winner Manchester City.

"Bayern is reportedly unwilling to offer more than 8 million euros (A$10.7 million). (German paper) Bild claim Boateng ... will sign a four-year contract with Bayern, which has had a disappointing season, failing to defend its league and cup titles.

"'Negotiations are underway,' Bayern's incoming coach Jupp Heynckes told Bild."

Elsewhere, the Mail says that Sunderland central defenders Nedum Unuoha and John Mensah "had a furious dressing-room bust-up after (Mensah's performance in) Saturday's dire 3-1 defeat by Wolves."

Nedum's loan spell is all but up, with Sunderland unable to meet City's price for a permanent deal.