ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:MANCHESTER CITY are putting in place an €12.5 million deal to sign the Germany international Jerome Boateng from Hamburg and precipitate an extensive summer spending spree aimed at establishing them as genuine title contenders next season.
City have denied reports in Germany that a deal has already been agreed for Boateng, but there have been detailed negotiations with the Bundesliga club and the 21-year-old defender has briefed journalists in his home country that he expects to be a part of Roberto Mancini’s team when they travel to the US for a pre-season tour in July.
Boateng, the brother of Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince Boateng, is a centre-half or right-back who has won three caps and been on City’s radar since January.
Hamburg would not sell him at that point but Fulham’s opponents in the Europa League semi-finals have now accepted that he will leave them next month.
“We have been told by the player’s agent that Jerome Boateng is looking to move clubs this summer,” chairman Bernd Hoffman said yesterday.
“We have to accept this. Talks about a new contract at our club have stalled in recent months and therefore the player has the right to change clubs.”
The manager, Bruno Labbadia, added: “It is a pity to see him go. But I think it is better for us that he has told us at this point than at the end of the season.”
If everything goes to plan, the transfer will mean Hamburg have banked some €37 million from City in the space of 20 months, having sold them Vincent Kompany for €7 million and Nigel de Jong for €18 million.
Boateng, at 6ft 3in, prefers to play at centre-half, but City may have greater need for him to fill in at right-back after a season in which the role has been shared by Micah Richards, Pablo Zabaleta and Nedum Onuoha but without an outstanding candidate.
Otherwise, he would provide competition for the first-choice central defensive pairing of Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure.
After two days off, City returned to training yesterday to prepare for Saturday’s game against Manchester United, but Adam Johnson was unable to complete the session after feeling unwell.
The former Middlesbrough player will be assessed in the morning and is not thought to be in danger of missing his first Manchester derby.
Meanwhile, Andrew Andronikou, the Portsmouth administrator, plans to lodge the paperwork regarding the club’s appeal to play in the Europa League next season with the English Football Association today.
As FA Cup finalists Portsmouth are guaranteed a European berth, as Chelsea will be in the Champions League, but failed to apply for a licence by the March 1st deadline due to the club being in administration.
Andronikou said yesterday: “It will be by tomorrow, we’re getting our act together. We’ve been in contact with the FA to know what we need to do to make sure we satisfy their requirements as they’re acting as agents for Uefa.
“If they promote us forward we’ve a better chance.”
