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July 17, 2009

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City confirms talks with Adebayor

MANCHESTER City is still holding talks to buy Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor from Arsenal to boost its bid to break into the top four of the English Premier League.

Speaking at a news conference in Abu Dhabi, home to the club's billionaire owner Shaikh Mansour, City manager Mark Hughes also confirmed Richard Dunne would be the club's captain this season.

"Talks are ongoing at the moment ... we are still in discussions," Hughes said yesterday, when asked about a possible 25 million pound (US$40.98 million) move for Adebayor.

City chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak said last month the cash-rich club could buy up to six players for next season.

Argentina striker Carlos Tevez joined from arch-rival Manchester United earlier this week following the club's signing of Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry and Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz.

"We are talking to some players ... and are looking to make sure the balance of the team is correct," Hughes said. "We do recognise the need to strengthen in certain areas."

City has also been linked with a bold swoop for Chelsea captain John Terry.

"The transfer window is developing at this point. Our priority is to get top quality players," Hughes said on the subject of Terry. "It's not for me to discuss it now."

But Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon said on Wednesday that Terry will be leading the Premier League club for years to come no matter how much City offer for him.

Irrelevant

"We're not going to sell John, so from that point of view it's really irrelevant what another club will offer," Kenyon told Sky News.

"I don't know what they (City) are offering but I'm confident that John is going to remain with us. John is a talisman, he's the heart of Chelsea.

"He's too important to us and we're very confident that he'll be leading us forward in the years to come," Kenyon said.

Elsewhere, Brazil captain Lucio has agreed to join Inter Milan after five years at Bayern Munich, the German club said yesterday. Lucio will sign a three-year deal with the Italian champion, Bayern said.

Lucio said during the Confederations Cup tournament that he wanted to play a few more years in Europe but was unsure whether he will remain with Bayern Munich following reported criticism from new coach Louis Van Gaal.

Club president Franz Beckenbauer said that was based on "misunderstandings" and argued that Bayern should keep Lucio.

Also, Serie A side Juventus signed Fiorentina's Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo after beating off competition from Arsenal.

Juventus has paid 20.5 million euros (US$28.80 million) plus winger Marco Marchionni for the 26-year-old, the Turin club said in a statement, adding that he has penned a five-year contract.

In Spain, Barcelona has agreed to buy Inter Milan's Brazilian left back Maxwell.

Meanwhile, Barcelona midfielder Aleksandr Hleb was quoted as saying that he would leave the Spanish club at the end of the year unless he starts playing more regularly.





 

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