Gael Clichy to undergo Manchester City medical
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal defender Gael Clichy could become a Manchester City player within the next 24 hours.
The Blues are making no comment on how advanced talks are with the 25-year-old Frenchman, who is about to enter the final year of his contract.
However, it is thought Clichy is in Manchester for a medical today ahead of a possible move to Eastlands.
Clichy is believed to have informed Gunners boss Arsene Wenger he has no wish to extend his eight-year stay at the Emirates and is ready to commit his future to City, who will compete in the Champions League for the first time next season.
It would represent the first major signing for City manager Roberto Mancini this summer. Others are anticipated, including that of Clichy's team-mate Samir Nasri.
Yet Mancini has been forced to accept bringing new players to the club is not going to be as easy as he wished due to UEFA's new financial fair play rules, which have now taken effect.
Although that in itself will not curtail the Blues' spending power, there is a problem with the number of highly-paid players on their books that Mancini has no obvious use for.
Wayne Bridge, for instance, spent the second half of last season on loan at West Ham and, if Clichy arrives, would be shunted even further down the pecking order.
Craig Bellamy is another, while Shay Given and Shaun Wright-Phillips have been attracting attention from Aston Villa and Bolton respectively, even though both clubs may be reluctant to match their present terms.
Jo and Felipe Caicedo do not have a role to play either, whilst Nedum Onuoha is waiting to discover whether he impressed enough on loan at Sunderland last year to attract attention from elsewhere.
Emmanuel Adebayor has already declared an intention to remain at City until the last day of the transfer window in August if necessary as he tries to secure a 'dream' move to Real Madrid.
The first real indication of Mancini's thinking may come on Friday when his squad head to the United States for a training camp ahead of a three-match tour.
It is hard to see any senior player left behind forcing his way into the Italian's plans, which next term will surely involve a concerted tilt at the Barclays Premier League title.
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