Soccer Shorts: Sven-Goran Eriksson believes Manchester City have served notice of their intent after Micah Richards committed himself to the club until 2013.
The England international ended months of uncertainty over his future yesterday when he signed a five and half year deal believed to be worth almost €67,000 a week. The deal brackets the 19-year-old among the highest earners at the club but is far less than rival suitors, such as Newcastle United, were prepared to pay.
"He always told me it would be done and he didn't want to go to another club," said the City manager, who believes a long-term deal for a player he rated as "faster and stronger than (Franco) Baresi" may prove the most astute piece of business since the former prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, took control last August.
Benjani shocked to be sold
Benjani Mwaruwari has stated that he was "shocked" to be sold to Manchester City for €5 million on deadline day in order for Portsmouth to fund a move for Tottenham's Jermain Defoe. The Zimbabwean claims he had settled at the south coast club and, having scored 12 league goals, was reluctant to move. "It was never my choice because of the special relationship that I had with the supporters, with my team-mates and with the coach," the 29-year-old said.
"I was very happy at Pompey and I think this season I showed that I had settled down well and I was beginning to produce the goals for the club. There are some things in football that are more important than money and one of those things is a special relationship a player can enjoy with the supporters and the coach. I had all that at Portsmouth.
"I was shocked when I was told on Tuesday that I was going to be sold to Manchester City before the transfer window closed. I did not know the two clubs had been talking about a transfer."
Moyes drops Yakubu
Everton boss David Moyes has left Ayegbeni Yakubu out of the squad for today's Premier League clash with Reading at Goodison Park following the Nigerian striker's late return from the African Nations Cup.
Yakubu turned up at the club's Finch Farm training ground yesterday morning, two days later than anticipated. Moyes told evertonfc.com: "All I would say is that it is an internal matter. Yak has been in this morning, I have spoken to him and he won't be included in tomorrow's squad."
It remains to be seen whether or not Yakubu will be on board Tuesday's flight to Bergen ahead of Wednesday night's Uefa Cup third round first leg tie with Norwegian outfit SK Brann.
