Manchester City: Manchester City

Manchester City legend Mike Summerbee has welcomed the present of a place in next season's UEFA Cup with open arms.

Confirmation that the Blues will be back in European competition for the first time in 24 years came from UEFA headquarters in Nyon today after England were declared winners of the Fair Play table.

It meant City, the highest-placed team in England's Fair Play league not to have already qualified for Europe, enter the UEFA Cup qualifying round in August.

The news, which had been widely anticipated, raises the prospect of the first competitive game in City's new Eastlands home being in European combat, with the first leg pencilled in for August 14, two days before the new Premier League campaign is due to start.

That is well lucky,its their 1st season in the premier league they manage to stay up and now they get into europe via the backdoor.lol ...Everything aside well done to them its good to see other english sides in europe other than the top ones..

This is totally unfair TRD but as you know i'm very byast!!!!

Yeah that is what i said they were well lucky...and crept in the backdoor..they aint good enough to be in europe at the moment..

They shouldn't get a European place out of this, even Keegan said it wasn't right.

Originally posted by TeflonDon
They shouldn't get a European place out of this, even Keegan said it wasn't right.

Yep that's right...alot of people don't agree with it...

Well it seems they are trying to improve the squad by signing David Seaman from arsenal on a free transfer...This is a good move if he still can produce the goods at 39...He has been a fantastic goalkeeper over the years but we shall have to wait and see...

I'll post some jokes on this in a minute, bit rude but very funny.

Originally posted by TeflonDon
I'll post some jokes on this in a minute, bit rude but very funny.

Ok but post them in the sports joke thread in the non sportz tawk forum..!

There on the Jokes thread if anyone wants to check them out.

David Seaman's former Arsenal team-mate Lee Dixon has revealed the veteran goalkeeper was so excited about his move to Manchester City that he left a few verses of City's song "Blue Moon" on Dixon's answerphone.

Dixon, part of the famous Gunners defence alongside Seaman at Highbury for more than a decade, felt it was inevitable the 39-year-old would leave once it was clear he would not be Arsene Wenger's first-choice stopper next season.

He told Radio Five Live: "I spoke to David yesterday, he returned my call and left a couple of verses of Blue Moon on my answerphone, but I've deleted it because I wanted him to stay.

"I've never heard him so excited about signing - he really was over the moon. He's just glad that this uncertainty has come to an end. He was disappointed to leave but he wants to play and that urge has forced him to leave."

Seaman agreed a one-year deal with City on Wednesday to once again link up with Kevin Keegan, who was his manager at international level from 1998 to 2000. The deal was sealed by Seaman agreeing terms by fax from Portugal, where he is having a summer break.

Manchester City defender Mikkel Bischoff should be available for pre-season training after undergoing surgery on his foot.

It had been feared that the 21-year-old Dane could be out of action for two months, but the successful operation means he could be in contention for the clash with Mansfield on July 19.

The centre-back, who underwent a hernia operation after making his one and only appearance for City against Blackburn last September, sustained the injury plying for the Denmark Under-21 side.

A City spokesman told the official website: "Following a minor operation Mikkel was feeling a lot better within three days.

"He is due back in Manchester at the end of June for rehab and we do not foresee any problems and look forward to welcoming him back."

Kevin Keegan's hopes of signing Marc Vivien Foe have been hit by Olympique Lyon's attempt to make the player available on a free transfer.

Foe is desperate to quit the French champions after spending the season on loan at Maine Road - but City could face competition from a host of European clubs as they look to sign the player on a permanent basis.

This is after Lyon indicated that they may let Foe leave on a free transfer, even though the midfielder has one year left on his current contract.

The prospect that the Cameroon midfielder could be allowed to leave the Stade Gerland for nothing has awakened the interest of a host of clubs across the continent.

City boss Keegan has been battling to keep the midfielder at the club following Foe's successful loan spell last season.

That original deal guaranteed City first option to buy the 28-year-old for a massive �7m, prompting Keegan to accept defeat in his efforts to make the switch permanent.

Lyon's asking price dropped to �2.5m before it was revealed they are in negotiations with the player's agent Willie McKay to allow the player to leave on a free.

At least five Premiership clubs are also reported to have expressed an interest in the player and the growing interest has pushed City down the pecking order in their efforts to land the defensive midfielder.

I like Foe, he is a big strong midfielder, but has a really nice touch as well. Would be interested to see who come sin for him, but you would hope he showed a little bit of loyalty and stayed with the Blues.

Foe has done well at man city and it would be a shame if they dont get him..He played well for west ham after a dodgy start and got better the more he played...he was a target for man u before he joined west ham but a injury stopped the move.

Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan has been linked in the papers with a move for Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit.

Chelsea are looking to move on some of their stars to pave the way for an influx of multi-million pound signings with new owner Roman Abramovich's cash.

Keegan is reported to have been alerted to the chance that he can pick up the 32-year-old Petit for a knock-down fee, believed to be in the region of �2m, because of the new wave of players heading for Stamford Bridge.

But the big snag will be the Frenchman's wages, which are reported to be in the region of �40,000-a-week.

Keegan has also been linked with Steve McManaman, whose Real Madrid days appear numbered, but with the former Liverpool winger on a reported �60,000-a-week, the City boss may have already decided to pass on making a move for the 31-year-old. McManaman has yet to decide on his future but has been told that he will not get a squad number next year so a move back to the Prem looks likely.

Both of these players would be good signings and Man C might hold the edge with Petite as Anelka is already thier...As for Mcmanman thier is a few other clubs interested in him and i cant see him going to Man C mysef...

Manchester City have reportedly joined the race to land unsettled Feyenoord midfielder Paul Bosvelt.

The Dutch international has become disillusioned with the mass sell-off from the de Kuip Stadium which has seen Pierre van Hooijdonk, Brett Emerton and Kalou all leave this summer.

Bosvelt's situation has alerted a string of clubs, including City, with boss Kevin Keegan a long-time admirer of the vastly experienced 33-year-old.

City will face stiff competition from Middlesbrough and Spurs in the �1.5m-rated ace who came close to joining Newcastle three years ago.

Bosvelt is the latest in a growing number of battle hardened midfielders rumoured to be moving to City as Keegan looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the new Premiership campaign.

The City boss has also been linked with Chelsea's Emmanuel Petit and Trevor Sinclair, who is on the verge of quitting relegated West Ham.

I think Man C have made some good signing so far and they seem to not have that Keegan style of all out attack,i think they will have a good season and it looks like they will sign a few more players before it starts.....

Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan believes he has pulled off a real transfer coup by snapping up the signature of Trevor Sinclair from West Ham.

The England midfielder has agreed a four-year deal with the Blues and is expected to complete the formalities of his �2.5million move to the club he supported as a boy within the next couple of days.

"I will be delighted if the deal goes through. In Trevor Sinclair we will have an England international at the peak of his career

West Ham midfielder Trevor Sinclair has completed his transfer to Manchester City.

The England international joins Kevin Keegan's side on a four-year contract after City agreed a �2.5million fee with First Division West Ham.

Sinclair agreed to the move last week and the club announced on their website, www.mcfc.co.uk, that all formalities had been completed and the 30-year-old has officially become a City player.

Keegan admitted after the 2-1 defeat by Mansfield in a friendly he wanted another midfielder in addition to Sinclair.

"I am trying to get one more in and that's it," said the City boss. "Then we will have the squad we want. There will be plenty of competition for places.

"We are after a midfield player and fairly confident of getting him."

Sinclair has signed a four-year deal and Keegan said: "It gives us another couple of strings to our bow. He can play left or right, at wing-back and up front. I am delighted we have tidied up the deal."

Man C have got a good player in sinclair...