Football transfer news

Focusing on youth and being financially prude is the right road for AC Milan to walk, according to head coach Massimiliano Allegri.

The Italian giants sold Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer for huge sums of money, but have suffered in Serie A with player departures and sit seventh as of the winter break.

Allegri pointed at Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules as one of the reasons to not splash cash without consideration, and thinks that the club is doing great under the difficult economic circumstances.

“We are on the right track by focusing on youth,” the coach told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“We are building a new Milan, so this is an achievement that takes time and passion. The president [Silvio Berlusconi] is right to take this route, as nobody in the current Italian financial crisis can afford wages of €7 million per season and stay within the Financial Fair Play rules.”

Milan sit on 27 points after 18 games – five points behind sixth-placed Roma, with a much larger 17 points between the Rossoneri and reigning champions Juventus, who sit top of the league.

“I am happy with the number of points we have so far this season, even though we could’ve had a few more,” Allegri insisted.

“I end the year aware that I adapted to different situations. Intelligence can also be seen in someone’s ability to deal with changing scenarios. In difficult moments I am calm and not clouded by anxiety. Perhaps I kept my job because I was good at reassuring the club.

“I told them we’d emerge from this situation and we are on the right track, although the game with Roma showed we are still not solid.

“I have a contract until 2014, but obviously I’m happy at Milan and would gladly stay for longer. The challenge of getting back to the top within two or three years is exciting.”

Alexandre Pato and Robinho look set to leave San Siro in the January transfer window, but the Rossoneri boss had nothing but praise for the attacking Brazilian pair.

“Will I be more disappointed if Pato or Robinho leaves? I have different feelings,” Allegri continued.

“Pato has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or, but I understand he needs to find that confidence he lost amid all the injuries.

“Robinho… what to say about Robinho? He is a player of a superior level.”

Milan have been linked with a move for Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli using the funds raised from potential Pato and Robinho sales, and although Allegri was coy on the club’s interest, he advised the Italy international to step up his game before it is too late.

“I don’t like talking about players in other teams,” the coach said. “In any case, it’s a shame he still hasn’t shown his talent and I think he needs to hurry up, because you’re 30 before you know it.”

Santos head coach Muricy Ramalho is of the opinion that Neymar would be most suited moving to Barcelona, and he believes Lionel Messi and the 20-year-old would be spectacular together.

The Brazil international was on the long list for the Ballon d’Or, while the Blaugrana attacker is one of the final three nominees and is the favourite to win it again.

Ramalho hailed his star player as a rare talent and believes that he is destined to become a world-beating footballer in the not-too-distant future.

“He is a great player, and he will become a genius,” the coach told Sport.es. “He’s on the road to becoming as good as Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo – that type of player who only appears on the world stage very occasionally.”

The Santos boss is adamant that Neymar would fit better at Camp Nou than Real Madrid due to the style of football that the Catalan club play.

“Barca are the team that best fit the characteristics of Neymar,” Ramalho added. “Everyone likes watching their football. They are a team that plays free-flowing football.

“Today, Madrid have a great coach, but they are very tactical. [Jose] Mourinho plays rigid tactics and they must be obeyed.

“From my point of view it is difficult to do that with Neymar. Neymar cannot put in a fixed position and left there. That would be killing the boy. So, today, the ideal team for him is Barcelona.

“Great players understand each other. [Barca] have many great players and have been playing well together for a long time. Neymar would grow so much there.

“One day I’d like to see it. I’d love to see together the ‘pair’ [Messi & Neymar] to see what would happen. And I am sure it would be something really spectacular.”

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has claimed that a shortage of players at his disposal could force him to delve into the transfer market during January.

The Africa Cup of Nations leaves the Italian with a number of absentees for the majority of the month, with Yaya Toure, his brother Kolo and youngster Abdul Razak are all on duty for the Ivory Coast.

Mancini also has a number of injury concerns to deal with, with Micah Richards not expected to recover from a knee problem until the end of Februaury, whilst summer signing Jack Rodwell is also a casualty.

When asked if he would need to strengthen his squad in January, Mancini told reporters: “Probably. We can’t sell players. We don’t have enough players to play if we sell players.

“We can have a problem because we lose three players and we have Micah Richards,  I don’t think he play until the end of February.

“Jack Rodwell – we don’t know when he can play. Maybe we can recover Aleksandar Kolarov in two weeks. We will see this in next days.”

Mancini is expected to name an unchanged side for the visit of Stoke on New Years Day, with the Blues preparing an appeal for Samir Nasri’s red card received at Norwich on Saturday.

That means Edin Dzeko, who found out he was starting against Norwich only hours before kick-off, is likely to lead the frontline again alongside Sergio Aguero against Tony Pulis’ side.

“If he scores two goals every game we don’t have a problem,” Mancini added, when asked about Dzeko. “I am happy for Edin because I think he deserves to score.

“He scored two goals but he did also a good performance. I hope he can continue to score and play well.”

The agent of Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has insisted his client will remain with the club despite his recent absence from the first team.

The Italy international has not featured since being substituted during City’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United on December 9 and has been persistently linked with a move to Milan in recent weeks.

However, his representative, Mino Raiola, has moved to clarify the situation, telling Corriere dello Sport: “Mario will not move now because there is no reason to change team.

“He’s not playing because he was sick and because there have been discussions with Mancini. However, the situation is resolving.”

Raiola went on to explain that Balotelli hopes to regain the trust of manager Roberto Mancini and has put his past mistakes behind him.

He added: “Taking him away from Manchester would be the easiest option. But he will stay at City, although this may seem like the most complicated thing.

“In the past he has made some mistakes, but lately people talk negatively about him only for his affair with Raffaella Fico.

“Balotelli needs to regain his place on the field and regain the confidence from the team. He needs a club that believes in him and he will do anything to deserve this trust.”

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has denied reports linking Joleon Lescott with a move away from the club in the January transfer window.

Lescott has lost his place in the heart of the Manchester City defence, despite being an England regular, with Mancini often preferring to select Serbia youngster Matija Nastasic as Vincent Kompany’s partner at centre-back.

Kolo Toure was called upon ahead of Lescott to replace the injured captain earlier in December but with the Ivorian due to leave for the Africa Cup of Nations next weekend, Mancini is adamant that Lescott is not for sale.

“We can’t sell players,” Mancini told reporters when asked about the former Everton man’s future. “We won’t have enough to play if we sell.”

The Italian has also suggested that out of favour striker Mario Balotelli will remain at the Etihad Stadium despite reports linking the 22-year-old with a January departure.

Lescott has been linked with a return to Goodison Park having made only seven league starts this season.

That tally is in stark contrast to City’s last campaign, when he established himself at the heart of back four by making 33 appearances in the top flight.