MANCHESTER // Manchester City are on the verge of completing their transfer spending with the signing of Italy forward Mario Balotelli and England midfielder James Milner. City manager Roberto Mancini said today that Balotelli, who he coached at Inter Milan, was travelling to Manchester. He added that Milner's arrival from Aston Villa after tomorrow's Premier League season-opener at Tottenham would be the last at the club in the summer transfer window.
Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper reported today that City will pay Inter ?28 million (Dh132m) for Balotelli, who made his international debut in Tuesday's 1-0 friendly loss to Ivory Coast in London. The paper added that Balotelli will sign a five-year deal with City worth ?3.5 million plus bonuses after he passes Friday's medical examination. "We are close with him," Mancini said. "I hope that today or tomorrow we can close this. Today or tomorrow it is finished."
Milner's signing would push City's spending close to £150m (Dh860m) since the end of last season, when they narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification by finishing fifth in the Premier League. City has also signed David Silva, Jerome Boateng, Yaya Toure and Aleksandar Kolarov. "We need another two or three days for this situation," Mancini said. "We need everyone to be happy." Villa rejected an initial offer from City but British newspapers say City increased their bid and will send Stephen Ireland to Villa in part exchange if the Irish midfielder can be persuaded to leave.
Mancini is already making room for his new acquisitions in accordance with new Premier League rules that clubs must pick a 25-man squad for the season. * AP