What does David Silva mean?

So what, in the context of the recent and distant history of Manchester City, does the signing of David Silva mean? Does this represent a more valued acquisition than, say, Robinho and Carlos Tévez? I'm fairly confident that it does.

The first question surrounds the attractiveness of MCFC as a destination for players, and what David Silva's decision tells us. We presume that there is a positive feedback loop between our success in conventional terms (wins, points, trophies) and the quality of the players we can buy. As we improve we can buy better players who will help us to improve more. While this is broadly true our resources have allowed us to jump a few steps in the process. And our two highest profile acquisitions, Robinho and Carlos Tévez, both players deserving of Champions League football, joined because of particular personal circumstances: Robinho's desperation to leave Real, and Tévez's insistence on personally humiliating Sir Alex Ferguson. Even those slightly lower profile signings: Gareth Barry, Manu Adebayor, Kolo Touré, had fallen out with their clubs.

David Silva is different, though. He is well-settled at his current club, who have just had their best season since 2005/06. He is one of the stars of the side - even more so with the departure of David Villa. At 24 he is in no rush to make a step up. He has been repeatedly linked with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United. So for him to choose to join City is a significant moment. Of course the money is a factor. No-one with base-line intelligence could suggest otherwise. But there's a difference between an ambitious, wage-profligate side who finishes tenth and an ambitious, wage-profligate side on the brink of Champions League qualification. This is the difference between Kaká, Samuel Eto'o and John Terry turning us down in 2009 and David Silva signing for us in 2010.

This is particularly pleasing because I had doubted that our failure to qualify for the Champions League would limit our ability to sign players of this level. Had we made fourth I had little doubt we would be able to attract authentically world class players. (By which I mean, the best three or four players in that role in the world. Carlos Tévez might just be one, as might Nigel de Jong.) But without Champions League football I thought we would miss out. David Silva probably fits within my definition of 'world class.' Taking his category to be 'dextrous, imaginative creative players who can play off the flank or behind a striker' he's not quite on the level of Andrés Iniesta or Wesley Sneijder but he is probably better than Rafael van der Vaart, Luka Modrić and so forth. He certainly has as least as strong a claim to be recognised as 'world-class' as Tévez does. And, because of the lack of the unique circumstances mentioned above, his decision to join us seems weightier and more significant.

Finally this is a big move for Roberto Mancini. As attached as I am to some of the Mark Hughes buys, it is vitally important that the squad be refreshed with players fully supportive of Mancini and his methods. It was the same with Hughes' gradual sidelining of the Sven-Göran Eriksson players. It's a difficult process, it inhibits performances but it is absolutely necessary to success. In this way, and in others, I hope the arrival of David Silva is the first of many.

David Silva: Some background

So where to start? How about Arguineguín, the town in Gran Canaria where David Silva was born on 8 January 1986. Within our squad that makes him three months older than Vincent Kompany and roughly ten months younger than fellow Spaniard Javi Garrido.

He grew up through the youth system at Valencia, spending one year on loan at SD Eibar in the Segunda División and then another at Celta Vigo in the top tier. While out on loan he worked his way through the Spanish youth sides, going to the now-famous 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the same squad as Javi Garrido. Silva and Garrido reached the quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by an Argentine side captained by a fiery midfielder from San Lorenzo called Pablo Zabaleta, who opened the scoring.

On returning from his loan spell Silva was straight into the Valencia first team, where he has been ever since the start of the 2006/07 season. It only took him a few months of impressing for Valencia to make his international debut at the age of 20. It was during this season that Silva first came to the attention of most English football fans - me included - from his performance in the Champions League quarter final at Stamford Bridge. He scored an astonishing goal with that hammer of a left foot he has. The Guardian's Kevin McCarra wrote that he 'whipped an extravagant, wonderful drive', the BBC's Ian Hughes was very positive, commenting on Silva's 'dropping deep behind his strike partner David Villa, start[ing] to dictate the tempo.'

From there on, further progress as Valencia continued to do surprisingly well on the pitch given their off-field concerns. He won his first senior trophy in April 2008, setting up two of Valencia's goals in their 3-1 Copa del Rey final win over Getafe. It was an omen of things to come. He had played his way into the first team for Luis Aragonés' Spanish side, where he played on the left hand side of midfield. (Now is as good a time as any to underline that David Silva is not Martin Petrov. He might be a left-footer who plays on the left but don't expect him to charge down the flank and whip crosses in. He's much more nuanced than that.) Silva had an excellent tournament, impressing with his intelligent movement and creation as Spain passed their way to glory. He scored the third goal in their semi-final defeat of Russia and performed well in the final. Whatever else he does in football Silva will always be a member of that great Spanish side two summers ago, the finest European Champions of my lifetime.

Injuries disrupted his next season but he was sufficiently impressive to prompt Sid Lowe, the best writer on Spanish football in the English language, to write this of him:

As [Pepe] Reina recognised, "he might barely measure 1.50m but he has talent to die for". Former Liverpool winger Antonio Núñez declares him "among the most impressive footballers I've played with" – and Núñez played with the galácticos. El País says he has "a mine in his left foot", which might sound dangerous – especially for his left leg – but is a reflection of his talent, and there's temperament too: Silva is a tough, feisty little sod, Luis Aragonés insisting he has the "most balls" in the Spain squad, a former team-mate recalling the repeated kickings he took by cooing: "he just took it – he must have horchata [Valencia's cold milk drink] for blood." He certainly has mala leche, the bad milk Spaniards equate with fight...

Not bad for a footballer rejected by Madrid, who joined Valencia at 14 and was singled out as a special talent at 15 only to be dismissed as a "fútbol sala player" and a "myth" by one dressing-room heavyweight when he was promoted to the first-team squad. Not bad, above all, for a player starting his first match for four months on Saturday night; his first since the opening day; his first since overcoming the ankle injury that forced him into injections before every Euro 2008 game and an operation in September. It was, said Marca, "a blessed return". Silva had "arrived and kissed the saint", which might not have pleased Roger Moore but delighted Valencia's fans. The ones that bothered to turn up, anyway. "Silva," Marca insisted, "has changed Valencia's face". Victory, El País added, was "all thanks to Silva".

Since then it's been more of the same. Continued excellence at a club who could not break through the increasingly Old Firm duopoly of Spanish football. His stats have stayed at roughly the same level: just under ten goals, just over ten assists each season. As Juan Mata has grown into the side Silva has moved in off the left, drifting right or playing central behind David Villa. But as it became clearer that Valencia would never really challenge Real Madrid and Barcelona so it was also clearer David Silva would leave. He was repeatedly linked with those two and it is a surprise a move did not materialise: there are whispers about his fitness, which I am sure will have to be managed. But we have certainly bought a star.

David Silva signs

Big news. The deal for David Silva to join Manchester City has been finalised and announced by the club. He is to join once Spain's involvement in the World Cup is over, for a fee reported in Spain to be €32million (£26m). The player said:

“The time is right for me to seek a new challenge, and I am thrilled about playing in England with Manchester City. I believe the Premier League is one of the best competitions in the world and I want to bring success to City and win trophies for them."

"I want to say that I always hoped to come to Manchester City and I am excited about my future there. They are a club with a great future with fantastic players. I want to be an important player in Manchester City’s history."

I'm thrilled. This news is not a surprise; the Spanish press had been reporting that a deal was close for a while now, as regular readers will know. But things can be both predictable and exciting; just look at Christmas Day. I'm lining up a series of posts on David Silva which will come up this afternoon. But what I will say is that he is a dreamy footballer, a player of real intelligence and nuance. And if we build the right stage for him he could well be the man to lead us into the promised land of the top four.

City to sign Colombian keeper

Apparently City are on the brink of signing Boyaca Chico's Cristian Bonilla, the 17 year old Colombian 'keeper that everyone no-one is calling 'the new René Higuita.' Bonilla has said:

'Besides the fact that I may be loaned to another team, this is a very important door that gets opened for my career, so I will have to start to take English lessons very soon.

'This is a very important step forward in my career, everything has been arranged and according to what the (Boyaca Chico) president Eduardo Pimental has said to me, the transfer has been confirmed.'

MCFC close in on Yaya

City took another step towards the signing of Yaya Touré last night as FC Barcelona claimed on their website a deal had been agreed:

The Barcelona website confirmed: "In case of Toure, [Barcelona Director General Joan] Oliver has recognised an understanding between the club interested in the midfielder, Manchester City, and Barca, but the transfer cannot be made official yet."

This report in Sport says there was a four hour meeting in the Hotel Miramar in Barcelona yesterday involving Yaya, his agent Dmitri Selçuk and Garry Cook. Yaya then had a medical with MCFC staff in Mataró. Everything should be done by the end of the week.

Robi scores, Brazil progress

Brazil's serene progress through the World Cup continued last night with a 3-0 win over Chile. There was some disappointment that Elano still had not recovered from the injury he suffered against Ivory Coast, but this was tempered by the personal success of Robinho.

After Juan headed Brazil 1-0 ahead, Robinho was involved in the second goal. He picked the ball up on the left touchline, ran at the Chilean defensive, dragging them towards him before moving the ball to Kaká. Just like Brazil's first goal against Ivory Coast, Kaká quickly pushed the ball between two defenders, Luís Fabiano received it and rounded Claudio Bravo to score.

The third goal was scored by Robinho himself. Ramires surged through midfield and was tackled on the edge of the Chilean box. The ball fell to Robinho who opened his body out and strummed the ball with his right foot into the far corner. It was remarkably similar to his goal from a similar position against Portsmouth in the 6-0 win in September 2008, for those that remember. A reminder, as that was, what a natural finisher de Souza is in those types of positions.

Robinho and, I hope, Elano will face Nigel de Jong's Holland on Friday afternoon.

De Jong into quarters, Vladi out

Nigel de Jong's Holland made the quarter finals of the World Cup with a 2-1 win over Slovakia. It wasn't a great game; in keeping with Holland's group stage matches they were cautious and patient, and produced only occasional moments of attacking quality. Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder put them 2-0 up before Robert Vittek pulled back a late penalty. My report for Telegraph.co.uk is here.

For de Jong it was another solid game. His combination with Mark van Bommel is probably the least-compromising 'doble pivot' in the World Cup, with a hat nervously tipped to Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo. They closed down Slovakia and denied them space.

Some of Slovakia's opportunities came from Vladimir Weiss exploiting the positional naivety of Gregory van der Wiel. Two or three times Weiss surged behind van der Wiel but without much end product. Even with Vittek's late penalty it was a safe enough win for Holland, who now progress to the quater-finals.

Tévez hits two in Soccer City

Carlos Tévez scored twice last night as Argentina qualified for the quarter-final of the World Cup, beating Mexico 3-1.

The first would have single-handedly inspired a debate on video technology had Frank Lampard's 'goal' in Bloemfontein not got there a few hours beforehand. Mexico goalkeeper Óscar Pérez charged off his line to punch but the ball only reached Lionel Messi. Messi chipped the ball back into the box, towards Tévez who was yards goal-side of Pérez and both Mexican centre backs. He darted back into an onside position to head home, and the flag stayed down. The goal was replayed on the big screen, the Mexican players protested to the officials but they were powerless to overturn their decision.

Gonzalo Higuaín scored another before Tévez scored an uncontroversial second: rifling the ball into the top corner from twenty-five yards. Tévez can hit the ball with astonishing purity and ferocity when the mood takes him, and this was one of his best. He came off soon after for Juan Sebastián Verón. Tévez and teammates will face Germany on Saturday afternoon in the quarter-final.

Barry, SWP out, Boateng through

England crashed out of the 2010 World Cup on Sunday with a 4-1 loss to Bloemfontein, with MCFC players on either side.

Gareth Barry started for England in his defensive midfield role. This placed him in opposition to Germany's star man and one-time City target Mesut Özil. Barry might have wanted to track him across the pitch but with Özil's imagination so lively, and with Germany having an extra man in midfield Barry spent much of the game having to choose whether to leave Özil or Bastian Schweinsteiger unmarked and untroubled.

And aside from the fact Germany were better throughout, Barry was unfortunately at fault for Germany's third and fourth goals. The third came when he gave it away in the opposition penalty area, setting up a counter-attack that ended with Thomas Müller scoring. And the game was over when Özil glided past Barry and round the back before setting up Müller. Barry could have brought Özil down and escaped with a yellow but he was too gentlemanly slow even to do that.

Jérôme Boateng started at left back in the absence of Holger Badstuber. He does not look like a natural left back but still did his job well. He's big, physically imposing and cuts off danger well. It was to his credit that James Milner was withdrawn for Joe Cole after 64 minutes. If we do not sign a more able specialist, it's quite possible Boateng will play left back at times next season.

There was more MCFC involvement: Shaun Wright-Phillips came on for Glen Johnson with three minutes left. He hit one cross straight to Manuel Neuer. England are out, but Boateng is through to the quarter-final.

RSC through to last 16

Roque Santa Cruz's Paraguay are through to the last sixteen of the World Cup after topping Group F. They confirmed this position after a 0-0 draw with New Zealand, in which our very own Santa Cruz played all ninety minutes for the second consecutive game.

I don't know if this is some sort of bizarre astrological occurrence based on proximity to the summer solstice but if you've got a better explanation please leave it in the comments.

Rocky's Paraguay play Japan in Pretoria on Tuesday afternoon.

Kolo bows out in victory

Kolo Touré's Ivory Coast were eliminated from the World Cup this afternoon, finishing third in Group G despite being North Korea in their final game. Kolo played, as did his brother and MCFC target Yaya Touré. Yaya scored his team's first goal, with a very deft side-foot finish from the edge of the box. But with Portugal drawing 0-0 with a Brazilian side lacking the imagination of Robinho and Elano, Ivory Coast were sent home.

With Yaya Touré out of the World Cup, I think we might see him at MCFC some time next week.

De Jong nearly scores for Holland

Holland played out their third consecutive win yesterday, beating a lively but poorly organised Cameroon side 2-1 in Cape Town.

Nigel de Jong played, and he nearly scored his second goal at international level when he got on the end of a free kick from Rafael van der Vaart, but he could not control his volley and it went over the bar.

His Dutch side will play Vladi Weiss' Slovakia in Durban on Monday afternoon.

AS: Silva says yes, clubs yet to agree

A slight backtrack on the David Silva story in today's AS. Apparently the clubs have yet to reach an agreement on a fee, although Silva himself has said yes to us. Today's Mail says we might throw in Roque Santa Cruz, so I suppose that explains the wrangling.

Spanish reports: Silva agrees to join MCFC

Reports from Spain this afternoon are claiming that David Silva has agreed to sign for Manchester City.

This report in Marca is quite clear. It says that the agreement between Silva and MCFC is 'total', as is a deal between the two clubs, quoting reports from Spanish radio station Onda Cero.

This report, in Diario AS goes further. It says that the deal is for five years, at €5m/year (roughly £80k/week). It suggests that Roque Santa Cruz might be thrown into the deal, but says that everything is agreed and will be formalised soon.

Of course, nothing can happen while David Silva is in South Africa but unless Chelsea match our bid we might well see firm movement on this soon.

Barry plays in England win

Gareth Barry played again yesterday as England moved into the last sixteen. Starting again as the deepest of a midfield four, he still did not look fully fit but made a few important interventions in front of our defence. His passing was good when looking wide but at times he tried something a bit too penetrative and conceded possession. Still a vital part of the side, though, he is sure to play in England's last sixteen game with Germany.

City legend David James was assured in goal, and City target James Milner played well down the right, putting the cross in for England's only goal.

Boateng makes World Cup debut

MCFC new boy Jérôme Boateng got his first World Cup outing last night in Germany's 1-0 win over Ghana. He came in for Holger Badstuber to start at left-back, one of a number of roles he might perform in for City.

He played 73 minutes before coming off for Marcell Jansen, but he looked very strong, quick and while not necessarily a natural left-back he certainly did his job well. He doesn't have the attacking thrust of Wayne Bridge but I'm sure he would make fewer errors.

Germany won 1-0, the goal coming from Mesut Özil, who looks like someone who was told at the start of the summer that only City were really in for him and so is desperately trying to play his way out of our hands and towards a more prestigious club.

Progress on Silva

There has been some progress on our move for David Silva in recent days. Valencia deputy chairman Javier Gomez said yesterday:

"As has been said, there is interest from Manchester City and we have permitted them to talk to the player, but we have reached no agreement and we have not talked about a fee."

This runs counter to Guillem Balague's claim that we have agreed a fee of £29m with Valencia. It's hard to know who to believe here - it's in Valencia's interest to say nothing has been agreed, just as it is in Balague's interest to put news-breaking stories on his website - but it does sound like we're moving in the right direction here.

The key to the deal, though, is not an agreement with the club but with the player. And Silva's agent, Julio Llorente, has questioned his client's enthusiasm for a move to City:

`We won't know where he is going this week because we're weighing up offers from three clubs and one of them is Chelsea. If Silva doesn't want to go (to City), the transfer isn't possible.'

This suggests that Silva would not see a move to MCFC as the fulfilment of a life-long ambition. And understandably so. As much as I love Silva as a footballer, and would delight in seeing someone with his skill and wit in a City shirt, I don't really want us to sign players who are not enthusiastic about playing for the club. It didn't exactly work well with Robinho.

Mundo Deportivo: Yaya deal done

Monday's El Mundo Deportivo went further than anyone in confirming our deal for Yaya Touré. It said that a deal had been agreed of €30m and subject to a provisional medical check (for which I imagine MCFC doctors would fly to South Africa), it will be announced very soon.

Vladi, RSC meet in Bloem

Another late update: we had the second World Cup clash between two current MCFC players the other day in Bloemfontein - Vladimir Weiss's Slovakia lost 2-0 to Roque Santa Cruz's Paraguay.

It was a decent game, Paraguay were much the better side, and while Weiss had a nice touch or two Santa Cruz looked quite good. Not as freely mobile as we might hope but playing ninety minutes of a World Cup as an achievement in itself for him. He played the articulate pivot between the energy and movement of Nelson Valdez and Lucas Barrios - and looks set to play in the last sixteen.

Elano, Sven reunited in Soccer CIty

A special moment tonight for City fans as one of our finest players of recent years - Elano - played and scored in front of the world at Soccer City. All the more meaningful, though, was his emotional reunion with Sven-Göran Eriksson, the man who brought him to MCFC in that fantasy summer of 2007. To see the two of them together, albeit on opposite sides, in such a showcase occasion felt important.

And Elano did very well. He was well involved in that right-inclined midfield position, as Brazil dominated possession against a fairly limited Ivory Coast side. Luis Fabiano put them two goals ahead, and Elano scored the third early in the second half - darting into the box, receiving a cross from Kaká and sweeping the ball past Boubacar Barry with his left foot. But just as Brazil were threatening to step up from excellent to glorious Chiock Tioté jumped onto Elano's shin, who was stretchered off. I am praying it's bruising rather than a break.

There was other City involvement too. Robinho played, and had a few good moments but never quite recovered from the shame of a selfish 35 yard shot in the second minute when he ought to have slid Fabiano in. There was a comic moment late in the second half when the game had descended into discord and drama: Robinho was fouled, went to ground writhing and rolling but on seeing that none of his team mates had surrounded his assailant he had to jump back up and take the throw in. And of course the Touré brothers, who might play together at City next year, did well enough in difficult circumstances.

De Jong plays in comfortable Dutch win

Another easy day for Nigel de Jong, who played well enough in Holland's 1-0 defeat of Japan. It was a game very similar to the Dutch defeat of Denmark, as Japan defended in numbers and limited the space Holland had to play in. And like the Denmark game, it turned on a mistake, as Wesley Sneijder's shot was palmed into the net.

Given Japan's counter-attacking style, there was not much play for de Jong to break down but he made most of his tackles, and did so without risking ending anyone's career, which made a nice change. He could well be rested for Demy de Zeeuw or Stijn Schaars against Cameroon but will have a tougher job to do in the Last 16.

Barry returns but England stumble

Gareth Barry made his desperately-anticipated return to the England team last night in Cape Town, but could do nothing to prevent England drifting to a disappointing 0-0 draw.

Playing just in front of the back four, Barry was excellent in the first half. He tracked runners from midfield, retained possession - allowing the full backs, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard to get forward - and moved the ball forward quickly at times. He looked surprisingly comfortable. As it happened, no one playing in front of Barry managed to rise above the pathetic and so England put in their worst performance in years.

Barry should play against Slovenia, though it is unclear who will partner him in midfield.

Vladi powerless as Slovaks blow it

Can't believe I'm late on this one. Vladimir Weiss was faultless earlier this week as Slovakia blew a 1-0 lead against New Zealand in stoppage time. He had been typically bright for most of the game, and Slovakia took the lead through Robert Vittek. But Weiss could only watch as Winston Reid headed a stoppage time equaliser. Slovakia's chances of progress look poor.

Tévez plays in Argentina triumph

Argentina won their second Group B game 4-1 against South Korea, with our very own Carlos Tévez playing a key role. He played on the left of a front three with Gonzalo Higuaín and some small fellow whose name I missed. It was an improved performance from the Nigeria game - Tévez seemed to have a clearer idea of his job, and didn't run into Ángel di María as much as he did then.

Carlitos' work rate was typically impressive throughout, his high point was winning a free kick from the right that was headed in by Higuaín at the far post. He earlier hit a free kick just over the bar. Tévez was replaced by Sergio Agüero in the second half.

Yaya deal 'imminent'

Yaya Touré's agent, Dmitri Selçuk, has said that his client's move to Manchester City is 'imminent', according to the Spanish press. A report in Sport says Selçuk told Catalan radio station ONA FM yesterday that a deal had been agreed for €30m (£25m) and that his move was 'inminente.'

He went on to say that agreement is complete between all parties and all that all that remains are the signatures. Obviously Touré is in South Africa at the moment but his team could well exit the World Cup next week which means we could see him paraded around Eastlands in early July.

Sven and Kolo shut out Portgual

A former City manager - Sven-Göran Eriksson - and the current City captain - Kolo Touré - combined yesterday to shut out Portugal 0-0 in Port Elizabeth. It was one of a number of surprisingly good defensive performances this World Cup, as Ivory Coast displayed a defensive discipline which they had lacked before. Cristiano Ronaldo and his supporting cast could not break through, which leaves qualification from Group G wide open.

City target Yaya Touré also played.

Gelson Fernandes, history maker

I always knew he had it in him. I knew he was a man of history. From when I saw his début, when he shot around the pitch at Ashton Gate in that 2-1 Leage Cup win, I knew that he would be a participant in great things.

Not a great man: not Alexander the Great, or Don Bradman, but nevertheless a character on the fringes of history. Someone involved in great events, but fundamentally a disruptor, a destroyer of movements and things. Think John Wilkes Booth, Gavrilo Princip. Today Gelson Fernandes fired a close range shot into what might have been - and what could still be - one of the finest international football teams of our lives.

People thought this morning that Vincente del Bosque's Spain side could pass their way to a World Cup, to accompany their European Championship of 2008. They passed very well today, but could not break through Switzerland's two lines of four. And when Fernandes chased down a long ball in the second half, he bundled past Iker Casillas and Gerard Piqué and scored a definitive goal. The Swiss held out, and this evening Gelson Fernandes has fired what might be a fatal shot into this promise-crammed Spain team. We don't know yet if he is their assassin, or just an assailant. But his name is in the history books for ever.

Elano inspires Brazil win

In all my dreams for this World Cup, this was fairly prominent: a Brazil inspired by two City legends. This was just the first game, and against the weakest side in the group. But if the rest of the tournament is like this it will be a delight.

This was not the easiest win for the Seleção against a very well regimented North Korean side. They defended in numbers, threw themselves in front of everything in the vox and kept them out for the whole first half. Elano, willing to shoot from range, posed a threat, as did Robinho's quick footwork at times.

But the breakthrough came with help from Elano. Early in the second half he slid Maicon on the overlap, who reached the byline and shot with the outside of his right boot, angling the ball with ferocity behind the keeper and in. I think he meant it.

An assist for Elano was good. But his goal was even better. Robinho, growing in confidence, picked the ball up and played the perfect pass between defenders, Elano strolled on to meet it and casually placed it into the bottom corner. It was a goal of almost insulting ease, and reminded me just how much I missed them. Elano especially. Since he went I've missed him like a dead pet. I'm more keen for him to succeed in South Africa than any other individual.

After a goal and an assist in his first game, I'm dreaming he can keep this up into the final.

Sale of Yaya close

I don't want to interrupt the flow of World Cup coverage too much, but there is a story in today's El Mundo Deportivo saying that Yaya Touré's move to City is close, for a fee between €30m and €35m (£25m-£29m).

Outgoing FCB President Joan Laporta is quoted as saying 'the sale of Touré is very advanced' and Yaya himself sounds keen.

RSC helps Paraguay to point

City fans will be surprised to hear that Roque Santa Cruz was not fully fit for Paraguay's Group F opener with Italy, which they drew 1-1. But he came on with twenty two minutes left, tasked with holding the ball up as a very hard-working Paraguay side tried to hang on under intense pressure from the world champions. Roque had a nice touch or two, overhit one pass and generally looked relaxed. It's difficult to say that his introduction was a key factor in Paraguay's holding on for a point, but I think I will anyway.

De Jong plays in Dutch win

Nigel de Jong, arguably the City player most likely to come away with a World Cup winner's medal, made a mixed start to his campaign in Johannesburg this lunch time.

He started alongside Mark van Bommel in Holland's 4-2-3-1. It was an easy start - Denmark, playing a cautious and counter-attacking 4-1-4-1 had very little play for de Jong to break down. He made a few tackles, used the ball neatly but had a quiet afternoon in store.

But after half an hour he jumped into a two footed tackle on Martin Jorgensen. It ought to have been a straight red card. He subsequently got a yellow but it was not a redress of football justice. These tackles are getting increasingly indefensible. I know tough tackling is the point of Nigel de Jong and that mistakes can happen but there is no avoiding the fact that he chooses the malicious option more often than he ought to. I suppose when he broke Stuart Holden's leg in an international friendly the scales fell from my eyes. It's not what I like to see.

Anyway, de Jong was instrumental in Holland's opening goal. Just after half time he played a perfectly weighted ball through to Robin van Persie, who got to the byline and crossed - Simon Poulsen headed into Daniel Agger's back and Holland were ahead.

De Jong came off with six minutes left for his lookalike and understudy Demy de Zeeuw. Holland won 2-0.

Samaras quiet in Greek defeat

City legend Georgios Samaras started for Greece in their 2-0 defeat to South Korea in Port Elizabeth. He started on the left of a front three, nominally offering support to front man Theo Gekas. It was not a very good performance.

As I remember, Samaras made one galloping run down the left from which nothing resulted. And that's about it. Of the ten teams to play so far, Greece have been by a distance the worst.

SWP makes World Cup debut

A proud moment for Manchester City, as for the first ever time a product of the MCFC Academy played in a World Cup finals match for England. Shaun Wright-Phillips, who just squeezed into the England squad ahead of Adam Johnson, came on for James Milner after half an hour.

Milner was chosen to start on the left of midfield, but after struggling with a virus all week he looked some way off the pace of the game. He arrived at three or four tackles a week late and was booked. The situation was unsustainable, and Wright-Phillips' energy and diligence was preferred to Joe Cole's wit down the left. Shaun got on the ball a fair bit, linking well with Ashley Cole and once putting him through to the byline. His big moment came when Wayne Rooney slid him into a good goalscoring position. He decided to open out his body and try to curl it past Howard, which was surprising given his natural instinct there is to go hard and high at the near post. The ball went straight to Howard.

It was great to see Shaun playing, and he did quite well, but that was probably our second best chance of the second half. I imagine when Gareth Barry plays against Algeria then Steven Gerrard will move to the left and Shaun will be benched.

England drew the game 1-1.

Tévez off to winning start

The first current Manchester City player involved in the World Cup was Carlos Tévez, who played in Argentina's 1-0 win over Nigeria. He started in a fluid front three along with Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuaín, tasked with working the defenders to free up space for his compañeros .

He did this fairly well, as Argentina started brightly and created chances, going 1-0 up through Gabriel Heinze. But as the game went on Argentina seemed to lose some of their coherence, and the chances they did create owed more to Messi's individual brilliance than any cohesive team play. As Veron tired Tévez started to drop deep and centrally, as he does for City, to create chances. He put one perfect ball through to Higuaín in the channel inside the left back, but the shot was saved. And later on he carried the ball in a four on two break but put Messi in when Ángel di María might have been a better option.

But it was a decent game from Carlos and a fine attacking performance from Argentina. They face a fiercer test from South Korea on Johannesburg on Thursday lunch time.

MCFC Academy Graduate Dickson Etuhu played in midfield for Nigeria, and couldn't lay a finger on Messi.

World Cup watch

As most of you will know, the World Cup starts tomorrow and I will do my best to keep everyone in touch with the progress of City players past and present. Of the 736 players going, here are the ones to watch out for:

Group A

Nicolas Anelka

Group B

Carlos Tévez

Dickson Etuhu

Georgios Samaras

Group C

David James

Gareth Barry

Shaun Wright-Phillips

Joe Hart

DaMarcus Beasley

Djamel Abdoun

Group D

Jérôme Boateng

Group E

Nigel de Jong

Group F

Roque Santa Cruz

Chris Killen

Vladimir Weiss

Group G

Elano

Robinho

Kolo Touré

Group H

Gelson Fernandes

Plus of course Ivory Coast who are managed by Sven-Göran Eriksson.

Some will get more attention than others. Anelka never really felt ours even when he was a Manchester City player, even less so six years after his departure (although he has scored more goals for City than for any other club). Whereas I still love some as much as ever - Elano especially. Stay tuned.

City sign Henshall

The club have announced the signing of 16 year old Alex Henshall from Swindon Town. I'd rather we didn't live in a world where the rich clubs would poach the best teenagers from the smaller clubs, but I suppose it's all in the game. Given that this is the way it is I suppose I hope we poach the best ones.

Vieira to stay at CIty

No real surprise: Patrick Vieira is staying at City for the 2010/11 season. If he were leaving we would have announced it along with the Benjani, Sylvinho and Martin Petrov departures.

I don't necessarily think Vieira deserved another deal, given he put in one good performance (against Aston Villa) but ten or so poor ones. But footballing merit was always one of a number of reasons for his being signed. He's important in other ways, for experience, for leadership, as Mancini's enforcer in the dressing room as well as his eyes and ears.

He won't play too much next year, but he will be important for big European games, particularly if we go 4-5-1. And if Mancini stays he could well grow into the coaching staff.

Dickov new Oldham boss

News from a genuine MCFC legend: Paul Dickov has been made Player/Manager of League 1's Oldham Athletic.

More from Robinho

Something almost as tiresome and predictable as 'Yaya Touré might come to City but is waiting for better offers' stories; Robinho breaks the news that he'd rather play for someone other than Manchester City in 2010/11.

“Any footballer in the world would love to play for a club like Barca," De Souza said. “The relationship between Robinho and the board at Manchester City is very good, although it's true that there are some problems with the coach, Roberto Mancini.

"We have a meeting with City on the 16th. I will travel to Manchester with Gilvan de Souza (Robinho's father) and we will look at the situation with Robinho. "We know that City are looking for a club for Robinho. There will be no quotes (from Robinho, at the moment). Robinho is focused on winning the World Cup."

There's not much to add. We know he doesn't want to come back. I don't think Roberto Mancini is too concerned either way and while we wouldn't mind if he left, the club will want some return on the £32m invested in him. I always thought the most likely deal was as bait in a cash plus player deal with either Barcelona or Benfica for any of their players we want. But those deals are complicated enough without throwing Robson de Souza into the mix.

Sport: Touré will go to City

Another day, another Yaya Touré story in the Catalan press.

Today it's Sport again, reporting that the deal for Yaya Touré is close to finalisation. As ever, I'm not going to quote anything but just give my impression from the mangled Google translation of the article.

The body text does not seem quite as definitive as the headline, but the parts all seem in place. A fee is apparently agreed, closer to €30m (£24.8m) than the €35m (£29m) Barcelona first wanted. This was never the sticking point, though, but rather our agreement with the player and his agent.

So the real news is then the claim that we have a deal 'in principle' with Yaya Touré, making him one of our highest paid players, comparable to Adebayor and Tévez. That, and the presence of his brother at City, are said to have convinced him to join us. Apparently it will be done 'in days.'

I don't know. Transfer sagas are tiresome enough when experienced through Sky Sports News. But transfer sagas mediated by Google Translate are something else. This sounds like movement from what his agent, Dmitri Selçuk said a few days ago:

"Everything has changed with City, because they talk a lot but then afterwards they don't appear to be a rich club but rather a bankrupt one."

But then it's obviously in his interest to say things that aren't true. I just don't know what's going to happen here.

Benji, Sylvinho, Petrov depart

The regeneration of a football club in a summer transfer window has two elements: the introduction of new players and the shedding of old, spent ones. It is almost like a tree shedding its leaves and then, the far side of winter, growing new green ones, except that in football the two processes occur simultaneously.

We've had the creation: Jérôme Boateng is to become a blue on 1 July. Today we had the first news of the other, destructive side, as three spent leaves fell off the Manchester City tree. Benjani, Martin Petrov and Sylvinho are all to leave on free transfers. This is a natural event. All three are 31 or above. The first two were signed by Sven-Göran Eriksson, and Sylvinho by Mark Hughes. None is sufficiently close to the first team even before our summer spending. They will have to look elsewhere to play.

Benjani's departure was inevitable from the moment he was allowed to go on loan to Sunderland in January. I said my good-byes to him then, and rather than find different words for the same thoughts I simply offer that post as my farewell.

Martin Petrov leaving is equally unsurprising, if rather sadder. Once we signed Adam Johnson to replace Robinho it was clear that Petrov would not be playing as much football as someone his age would want. He had a brief spell in the side in Roberto Mancini's early days, but he was never first choice. If we are honest, he never replicated the form he showed in Eriksson's season, when he was just thrilling up and down that left wing. He played with a confidence and selfishness we hadn't seen since Shaun Wright-Phillips went to Chelsea two years before.

He was so good for that season that he managed to barge his way onto the bench of my MCFC Team of the Decade. From then on, under Hughes and Mancini, it was one long knee injury punctuated by occasional spells in the team, when, to his credit, he tore into right-backs with as much ferocity as he did in his prime. He certainly brought us some good moments, and I'll run through a top five later in the week. He is a very plausible target for Premier League clubs, at least on a pay-as-you-play deal, and so I am sure he will not drift off our football horizons.

Perhaps Sylvinho is the most surprising departure. Signed by Mark Hughes on a free last summer, he came in as experienced cover at left back. Chances were limited, and after he was brutalised by Aaron Lennon at White Hart Lane in December it was clear he was never going to be a Premier League left back. But he had a few good games in midfield, where his touch and brain were as sharp as ever, and he scored our goal of the season at Scunthorpe in the FA Cup. I had hoped for his retention as a squad player and coaching hand. But he goes with farewells as warm as anyone else.

Each of this three, in their own way, endeared themselves to me and to the fans. I do not think our squad will be any weaker for their departure, particularly given the spending we are about to do, but yet I will miss them all. Good luck blues.

Benjani MCFC 2008-2010 24 starts, 7 goals

Martin Petrov MCFC 2007-2010 57 starts, 12 goals

Sylvinho MCFC 2009-2010 9 starts, 1 goal

MEN: Bolton want Petrov

With Jérôme Boateng being given the 17 shirt, we can be fairly sure Martin Petrov will not be extending his contract this summer.

There was a new rumour regarding his next club in today's Manchester Evening News: apparently Owen Coyle might try to take him to Bolton Wanderers. I had initially feared he would go to one of our rivals on a free, but the worse his knee problems get the less likely it is that Everton or Spurs would sign him. That being the case, I am very keen for him to go to the next set of teams - and Bolton, or West Ham, with whom he was also linked - would be perfect.

Boateng deal done

Welcome, if not surprising news: Jérôme Boateng has agreed a deal to come to Manchester City, and will become a blue on 1 July. This is the first buy of the summer.

I am excited. Boateng comes with a good reputation, and his inclusion in the German World Cup squad is testament to that. He can play centre-back and right-back, both positions where we need both cover and improvement. I don't know what our first choice centre-back pairing will be this year: it ought to be Vincent Kompany plus one, and even if we do not pair both HSV old boys our Europa League campaign will ensure he gets a good number of games.

If he's similar to our other two players we plucked from the Nordbank Arena, then he'll do well. Nigel de Jong and Vincent Kompany have so raised the standard of quality, competitiveness and professionalism throughout the squad; another product from the same mold would be ideal.

Most intriguing, though, is the hope that he becomes an archetype for the summer of spending. After Mark Hughes' decision last summer to buy expensive experienced established Premier League players, this would be a major departure. With Boateng we are going for a different type of player: young (Boateng is only 21), playing outside the Premier League, with hunger and ambition, to move to an upwardly-mobile club in the EPL.

I am an evangelist for this approach. When Chelsea were doing a similar thing around 2004 that was their transfer approach: 20 year old Arjen Robben from PSV, 22 year old Petr Čech from Rennes, 22 year old Michael Essien from Lyon, the late-developing 26 year old Didier Drogba from Marseilles. And look where that got them. It was only when they went for the lazy millionaires: Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack that they stopped winning the league. Our approach should be to imitate this. Of course, the money we will pay Boateng is a big factor. But we need players who are hungry, ambitious, keen to prove themselves in England and play a part in our progress. I'm afraid this does not apply to Emmanuel Adebayor, Gareth Barry and Kolo Touré, and it shows. This is the Boateng plan, it's the right plan and I hope it continues. (Although for all my talk of Boateng as the archetype all of this applies to Adam Johnson, another Brian Marwood signing and a very ambitious player.) Next stop: Edin Džeko.

Yaya set for England?

Yaya Touré's agent, Dmitri Selçuk has said that a deal is done between his client and an unnamed Premier League club:

'If everything goes well, Yaya will go to England,' Seluk told Spanish radio station, Ona FM.

'But we can't talk about definite clubs. We already have a closed deal, and all will be resolved before the World Cup.'

This is interesting stuff. It's certainly conceivable that Yaya Touré has agreed terms with either us, Chelsea or Arsenal. Whether a deal has been agreed between the unnamed Premier League club and Barcelona is less clear. Selçuk has voiced his frustration that Barça were holding out for €35m (£29m), which is well over market value, particularly given Touré has only two years left on his deal. But it's quite possible that we will have paid that if we want him.

Recent reports, though, said Touré would much rather move to a big club than to City. Fair enough. What this all means is that we're not that much closer to knowing where he'll be playing next season, even if this is looking like an increasingly plausible move for us.

Bianchi keeps il Toro in the chase

It's Serie B play-off time. Torino are playing Sassuolo in one semi-final, Brescia and Cittadella the other. The two winners compete for a place in Serie A 2010-11.

Torino played their first leg against Sassuolo the other night. They went 1-0 down but Bianchi equalised with a brave diving header at the back post from a free-kick: his twenty-fifth goal of a remarkable season.

The return leg in Sassuolo is on Sunday.

City legends score in friendly win

Brazil played a friendly yesterday against a Benjani-inspired Zimbabwe side.

They won 3-0 with goals from MCFC legends and Mark Hughes-antagonistes Robinho and Elano. See the goals here.

Report from the Telegraph's Jonanthan Liew here.

'I am going to sign before the World Cup'

Jérôme Boateng is certain to complete his move to Manchester City in the next day or so, after telling Bild he will sign before departing for South Africa:

"I am going to sign before leaving for the World Cup and the deal will be completed. It has been decided that I am moving there."

Like our other HSV old boys Nigel de Jong and Vincent Kompany, Boateng is strikingly assured and confident:

"He [Roberto Mancini] came with two representatives to Hamburg and we chatted for one or two hours. He convinced me to make the transfer. He believes that I will definitely need a few months to get settled in once in England, but that he sees so much potential in me that he will improve me. Even if many people say I am going to struggle to make the breakthrough, I am confident that I will. I am not afraid of anybody."

I imagine we'll see him at Eastlands today or tomorrow.

Džeko update

A strange day of Edin Džeko news. Last night the deadline passed for his €40million buy out clause. Now inactive, Wolfsburg would be under no compulsion to sell him to us. It seemed, at a surface glance, that our chance to sign Džeko had passed. Wolfsburg sporting director Dieter Hoeness said:

"The conditions have not been met.

"We are very pleased that the period of uncertainty is over. He is a player of huge quality who would have been very difficult for us to replace."

But this did not quite fit with what we knew. We had heard that City were keen on Džeko, but that we were relaxed about letting the clause expire so that we could freely negotiate a see with his club. We would not have done this were we not sufficiently confident of striking a deal. That is, if we were not sure that Džeko wanted to come to City, we would not have put ourselves in a position where the club had the chance to say no. Surely there was something else to this, another card in our hand?

So it is a relief but not surprise to read that deal is still alive. A Daily Mail exclusive on Wednesday says this:

Wolfsburg manager Steve McClaren will be disappointed with Dzeko's departure but will have a decent transfer kitty to launch his assault on the transfer market.

General manager Dieter Hoeness had earlier expressed delight that Dzeko was staying.

However, City's money in the end looks to have persuaded Wolfsburg it was too good an opportunity to turn down, regardless of timing.

This makes sense. The idea that we had let the clause lapse out of ignorance or complacency never sounded quite right. We have still got a long way left to travel to complete this deal, but we are still moving forward on the right road.

AJ misses out

Disappointing news, though, for Adam Johnson. When Theo Walcott was trimmed off it looked as though Johnson might make it, but it was his City team-mate Wright-Phillips who made it instead.

Ultimately this must have been more of a decision against Johnson than for Wright-Phillips: based on recent form and performance in friendlies Wright-Phillips did not present a compelling case for his inclusion. Rather, Capello must have seen something that halted his enthusiasm for including AJ, an indication from somewhere that Johnson was not quite ready for a World Cup squad yet. Capello's comments that Johnson found it 'difficult to breathe' are instructive, and I imagine that Johnson's uncharacteristic refusal to dive in the box showed Capello that he cannot quite play his natural game at international level.

Adam Johnson's collapsing Jenga tower act won us valuable penalties in the home games against Bolton Wanderers and Aston Villa last season. He could well have won us another at the Boleyn Ground, and bought us a decent crop of free-kicks too. It's a big part of his game and something he does well. But when Gerardo Torrado hauled him back at Wembley he did not have the confidence to go down and win us that penalty. He stayed on his feet and nothing came of the opportunity.

Maybe I'm reading too much into too little but that one moment could well have convinced Capello that Johnson does not yet have the confidence to play for England as he does for City, something you could never say of Wright-Phillips.

England squad confirmed

The England squad has been confirmed and it contains three Manchester City players: Joe Hart, Gareth Barry and Shaun Wright-Phillips. This is historic. In two previous World Cups there had been two MCFC men in the squad: Colin Bell and Franny Lee in 1970, and Joe Corrigan and Trevor Francis in 1982. But never three.

This is testament, in Shaun Wright-Phillips case, to the success of our Academy - he is the first of its graduates to play for England (Micah Richards and Joey Barton have also done so), and the first to be included in an English World Cup squad. Joe Hart is not an Academy player, but he was bought from Shrewsbury Town for £600,000 aged 19 and so we did have some active role in his development. Barry, of course, we can claim no real credit for.

But this is still a historic moment, another marker of the upward progress of MCFC in the last two years. More news on more squads when it comes in.

SWP in, AJ out

Nothing official at this stage but there are strong and reliable rumours that Shaun Wright-Phillips has made the 23 man World Cup squad, while Adam Johnson has not.

When it emerged that Theo Walcott had not made the cut it looked as if one of those two would, and it turns out that Shaun's second half on the left against Japan was enough to convince Fabio Capello to take him as change-up option to South Africa.

It's tough on AJ, who has played with vigour and audacity since joining MCFC in January, and makes a mockery of Capello's pledge to pick players on form. But clearly SWP's ability to play on either wing, his experience, his dexterity have won him a seat on the plane. That game at the Boleyn Ground, on the left wing, in front of Franco Baldini, is the key moment in this story.

But more on all of this later - once we have official confirmation.