Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has signed a new five-year contract with the Premier League champions.Mancini replaced Mark Hughes as City boss in December 2009, guiding them to the FA Cup in 2011.

A year later, City secured their first league title since 1968.

“Manchester City is a fantastic football club,” Mancini told the club’s website. “I am very much looking forward to the challenges and excitement ahead.”

“I am delighted to be able to give all of my efforts to Manchester City for a further five years. The opportunity which exists to build on our recent success is enormous,” he added.

Mancini brought the Premier League crown to the Etihad Stadium on a dramatic final day of the season when Sergio Aguero’s injury-time strike snatched a 3-2 win over QPR and secured the championship on goal difference over rivals Manchester United.

City begin their defence of the title at home to Southampton on 19 August, but Mancini also has a second Champions League campaign to prepare for.

Their first appearance in the competition ended when they failed to progress from a group that contained eventual finalists Bayern Munich.

“This new agreement allows Roberto to focus on the challenge of guiding a team which is capable not only of defending the Premier League title, but one which can compete for European honours,” said City’s interim chief executive John MacBeath.

Reports had linked 47-year-old Mancini with the post of Russia manager, vacant since the departure of Dick Advocaat after Euro 2012.

City’s title win added to Mancini’s success in his previous managerial post at Inter Milan, where he won Serie A in three consecutive seasons.

Former City defender Danny Mills believes Mancini would have left the club this summer if he had not delivered the title last season.

“It’s a massive cliche but in football goals do change games and they also change managerial careers,” he told BBC Radio 5 live.

“If that Sergio Aguero goal after three minutes of stoppage time hadn’t gone in then Mancini could have been on his way out and looking for another job.

“He will be in demand and the owners want stability. They’ve got a training ground under development and they want it to be a super academy and Mancini is seen as a massive part of that.” 

(BBC Football)

 

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers says he would consider letting striker Andy Carroll go out on loan.

The 23-year-old England international has struggled to meet expectations since joining the club from Newcastle for a club record £35m in January 2011.

“It’s something I would have to look at, I have to be honest,” said Rodgers.

“Andy’s always going to be linked with clubs, whether he was here or not. He knows exactly where he stands, but I have had no inquiries about him.”

(BBC Football) 

 

Queens Park Rangers have completed the signing of midfielder Park Ji-sung from Manchester United.

The agreement, which could potentially be worth £5m, will cost QPR an initial transfer fee of £2m for the 31-year-old, who has signed a two-year deal.

The South Korea international has made 133 Premier League appearances for United since joining the club from PSV Eindhoven in 2005, scoring 19 goals.

“Ji is someone I’ve admired for many years,” QPR manager Mark Hughes said.

“He’s got great energy and technical ability and will bring so much to the team.

“I can’t wait to start working with him because every report we’ve had about him as a footballer and a person, he’s top of the pile, very motivated and still feels he has success ahead of him.

“It’s a significant signing for us as a club and it’s going to really help where I want to take the team and where the clubs wants to go as a whole.”

Park won four Premier League titles and the Champions League while at United.

After beginning his professional career with Japanese side Kyoto Purple Sanga, Park impressed during his nation’s run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2002, when they were co-hosts.

Such performances saw him follow national team coach Guus Hiddink to PSV Eindhoven, where he played for three years before making a £4m move to Old Trafford, becoming a reliable wide option for boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

But Park only made 10 Premier League starts last season and Ferguson told the club’s official website:  “He’s been a fantastic servant to the club over the past seven years.

“He is the ultimate professional and such a nice lad and he never let us down on the big occasions.

“Unfortunately, I just couldn’t give him the number of games he wanted.”

(BBC Football) 

 

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