• Premier League

Mancini expects five new arrivals at City

ESPN staff
August 31, 2012
Roberto Mancini is hoping to make five signings on transfer deadline day © PA Photos
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Roberto Mancini is confident Manchester City will complete five signings in a £40 million spending spree on transfer deadline day.

Mancini is chasing Inter Milan right-back Maicon, Fiorentina centre-back Matija Nastasic and Benfica midfielder Javi Garcia, but expects Richard Wright and Scott Sinclair to be confirmed as City players first.

Sinclair will cost £6.2 million, Maicon £4 million and Garcia over £20 million while Nastasic is priced at £11 million, but City will not pay the full amount because Stefan Savic is going to Italy in part-exchange.

After a frustrating summer in the transfer market, when City have only signed Jack Rodwell, the Premier League champions are doing their business on the final day of the window.

Mancini said: "I think if we complete those deals, we improve our team. We are talking about one top player in Maicon, because he has experience and another young guy. Nastasic will be one of the top defenders for a long time."

The City manager sees Sinclair as his replacement for the sold Adam Johnson but stressed that the Swansea winger is less of a dribbler than the new Sunderland signing.

"Sinclair plays in the same position like Adam but the difference is that Adam works with the ball at his feet and Sinclair works a lot around the space," he explained.

City take on QPR on Saturday without the injured trio of Gareth Barry, Micah Richards and Sergio Aguero.

"Gareth is getting better but he needs three or four weeks more," Mancini added. "He played 45 minutes with the reserves on Monday and it was the first game after three months."

Aguero's comeback is also delayed until after the international break, with his manager saying: "We hope after the international game, [either] the game against Stoke or Arsenal."

However, there is no date yet for Richards' return with Mancini saying: "He has a problem in his ankle. I don't know how many weeks."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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