City unable to sell seven unwanted first-team players

[Tomo 21,733]

Manchester City face the prospect of a £30million wage bill next season for players that manager Roberto Mancini no longer wants.

Mancini is desperate to ditch Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy, Roque Santa Cruz, Wayne Bridge, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jo and Nedum Onuoha from his first-team squad, but has found his plans hamstrung by the astronomical salaries that players are banking at Eastlands. City are ready to take huge losses on a group of players recruited by former boss Mark Hughes who cost the club a staggering £85m in transfer fees alone.

But so far there have been no takers, with clubs unwilling to meet either City’s cut-price valuations or the big-money deals currently being paid at Eastlands.

Adebayor, who cost £25m when he arrived from Arsenal two seasons ago on a deal worth £130,000-a-week, is being touted around Europe for £14m.

The striker is refusing to contemplate a move to Zenit St Petersburg, while Marseille want City to slash their asking price and subsidise his wages.

Bridge and Bellamy, who cost a combined figure of £24m, are both on £90,000 a week, while £18m misfit Roque Santa Cruz, who earns slightly less, is wanted back at Backburn only if he slashes his £80,000-a-week earnings.

Jo, the Brazilian signed for an initial £6m in a deal that would have cost City £12m more if it had been a success, is also surplus to requirements as are homegrown pair Wright-Phillips and Onuhoa.

The salaries of unwanted players add up to a mindblowing £550,000-a-week – or close to £30m over the course of a season without bonuses.

City have the resources to manage these luxuries thanks to the riches of their Abu Dhabi-based owners but they are looking to balance their books ahead of the forthcoming implementation of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations.

A City insider said: “Unless there is some movement of players out of the club in the next 10 days this promises to the biggest test of Roberto’s management skills that he has ever faced.

“There is a group of players set to report back to the club who have been made aware that he doesn’t rate them and he doesn’t want them around the place.

“The big question is how will he manage players? What will he do with them because they aren’t part of his plans and he won’t want them in and around the first-team squad?”

Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Manchester-City-unable-to-sell-Emmanuel-Adebayor-Craig-Bellamy-Roque-Santa-Cruz-Wayne-Bridge-Shaun-Wright-Phillips-Jo-and-Nedum-Onuoha-who-cost-the-club-30m-a-year-in-wages-article752432.html#ixzz1QKjeiOzb

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I don't know if im reading too much into this but if Mancini cannot get rid of these players it could cause problems going into the season with Mancini having to manage players that he and them know he does not rate and this could filter to the first team, could make things difficult maybe?

[termninja 5,290]

I won't say I feel sorry for them...more problems they have the better for us.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

We should buy Micah Richards.

[Tomo 21,733]

We should buy Micah Richards.

I was thinking more Onouna (spelling), he would be cheaper

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I was thinking more Onouna (spelling), he would be cheaper

Yeah, he's a good player.. And knows how to score (cue memories of that horrific goal when Sunderland beat us 3-0). Micah is on another level from Onouha though.

[Tomo 21,733]

Yeah, he's a good player.. And knows how to score (cue memories of that horrific goal when Sunderland beat us 3-0). Micah is on another level from Onouha though.

My big worry about either coming in is that it will seriously harm Todd and Billy's chances of making the grade.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

My big worry about either coming in is that it will seriously harm Todd and Billy's chances of making the grade.

Yeah that's true.. However Richards is 22 & if Bosingwa cannot be rejuvenated then Richards is a good long term solution to our right-back problem. Billy Clifford and Micah Richards will be good competition for each other, each will shine competing. As Ryan Bertrand & Patrick Van Aanholt will (when they get their chance & if we keep hold of Bertrand)

[Shane 2,275]

Good enough for them, Giving mediocre players like Bridge, Santa Cruz and Jo riduclious wages.

[BluesChick 1,260]

Didn't they manage to get rid of Bridge?

[coolhead23 1,146]

Would love to have Bellamy from that lot despite he being a pain at times but can be a good squad player plus he is good in offensive positions. And he mite come in cheap as well

[bluephoenix 1,126]

Didn't they manage to get rid of Bridge?

I also had the same question in my mind

[kwylino 329]

Well it was only a loan and i think city paid some of bridges wages. kinda stupidity by city to be paying them that much though