By Alan Duffy
With their chances of retaining their Premier League title all but snuffed out by that dismal defeat away at Crystal Palace, Manchester City are preparing for a summer of rebuilding.
According to the Daily Mail, one of the Citizens’ top targets is none other than Arsenal’s injury prone midfielder Jack Wilshere, with the Mancunian giants apparently looking to add some English talent to the plethora of ‘Carlos kick-a-balls’ hanging around the Etihad.
The 23-year-old Wilshere still has two years left on his current deal at the Emirates, but with both Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla impressing in the box-to-box midfield berth beside anchorman Francis Coquelin, Wilshere may struggle to regain his first team spot next season.
Now the path from Emirates to Eithad is a well-worn one indeed, with the likes of Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna amongst others making move north. However, this does still look a rather flimsy rumour, with Arsene Wenger likely to show faith in the midfielder for at least another couple of seasons (as long he manages to stay fit). So we at Pies’ ain’t havin’ it!
Interestingly, in the same article, the Mail also link City with a move for Liverpool vice-captain Jordan Henderson, with the England man, as previously discussed on Pies, apparently eyeing a move away from Anfield. Arguably, this one looks a teeny bit more plausible than the Wilshere deal, with the Raheem Sterling hoo-haa adding to the current climate of uncertainty at Anfield.
Whether or not either of these two fine examples of prime English midfield talent do end up at City (for the princely sum of £30m each according to the Mail), expect some big-money moves to the Blue half of Manchester in the coming months.