City transfer talk: 14 July – Silva arrives and Michael Johnson set to stay

The best news for City fans today was the sight of David Silva in Manchester. The Mail captured the Spanish World Cup winner on his way for a medical.

With little news on new faces, the Telegraph has a piece by Mark Ogden on who might be set to leave. It’s becoming a familiar list of names: Craig Bellamy, Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland, Robinho, Roque Santa Cruz, with Nedum Onuoha included in a similar piece in The Times.

Each of these players has their merits and it would be disappointing if they all went. The speculation today focused on Micah Richards, with Rory Smith of the Telegraph tweeting that Liverpool could be interested. This makes a change from Spurs, who are once more linked with Bellers. Stories linking Bellamy with Redknapp now barely register, such has been their frequency for the past 18 months.

Ogden gives credence to the rumour that AC Milan may be interested in Robinho as a replacement for Ronaldinho, if they can get the former Barca star off their wage bill.

There’s an interesting theory that City might not lose anything when selling the likes of Robinho and Santa Cruz if the profits made on the home grown players is added in. Using the success of the Academy to make up for failed transfers is an interesting financial model, but not necessarily one to be recommended.

The one positive piece of news about our home-grown players was this tweet from James Ducker:

SWP more likely to stay at #MCFC than leave but he won’t get a new deal. Michael johnson WILL be staying, city still have high hopes for him.

This is good news as now Johnson is over 21, there might not have been room for him in the 25 man squad. We already have Vieira, Y Toure, Barry and de Jong in central midfield.

Whether Johnson can fulfill his early promise remains to be seen, but it’s good that we’re going to find out with him at the club rather than playing elsewhere.