ROBERTO MANCINI has poured cold water on speculation that he is ready for a return to Italy – and insisted he has already started planning for next season.
The Manchester City boss was last week heavily linked with Juventus, who sacked Ciro Ferrara in January and appointed Alberto Zaccheroni as coach until the end of the season.
With the Juve post set to become vacant in the summer, Mancini appeared to indicate his desire to return to Serie A in an interview in his homeland.
Such talk was not entirely unsurprising, even though Mancini has steered City into fourth spot and in line for a place in next season’s Champions League qualifiers.
However, the former Sampdoria star distanced himself from the Juve post after Saturday’s 6-1 demolition of Burnley and has now emphasised his desire to remain part of the Eastlands revolution.
“I did give an interview, but I never said I wanted to go to Juventus,” Mancini said.
“Manchester City is my club and I have a contract here for three and a half years.
“I am already planning for next season, which will start on July 5th when the players come back after the summer.
“For us it’s more important that we finish well this season, and we must concentrate 100 per cent to get fourth place because we have six games that are very difficult.
“After that, we can think about the future – we already have some players in our minds who can be good for next season.”
Blackburn striker El-Hadji Diouf will appear in court next month charged with driving offences, the British Crown Prosecution Service said yesterday.
The 29-year-old was summonsed over allegations that he drove without a licence or insurance when stopped by police in Manchester last September.
Diouf was stopped in a white Porsche Cayenne in Altrincham Road on September 14th.
He is due to appear at Manchester City Magistrates’ Court on May 10th.
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