Manchester City have avoided the worst-case scenario involving star striker Sergio Aguero.

Aguero will miss about a month with a knee injury, but he reportedly avoided any major tears after going down in the first half of City's 3-2 win over Southampton following a tackle by Nathaniel Clyne.

Aguero's time off for City will be softened by the September international break, and it is not as if City are without capable replacements. Edin Dzeko came off the bench and scored a goal in Aguero's place, and Mario Balotelli is also an option for Roberto Mancini to pair with Carlos Tevez. The club also has the option of seeking reinforcements for the club's leading scorer a year ago during the transfer window, which is open until a week from Friday.

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CONTE BAN APPEAL DENIED

Juventus coach Antonio Conte had his appeal for his 10-month ban for match fixing denied, and he will be forced to miss the entire Serie A season for the defending champions as a result.

Conte was disciplined for failing to report two accounts of match fixing while he was in charge of Siena. Angelo Alessio, one of Conte's assistants at Juventus who was with him at Siena, is banned for six months, so technical director Massimo Carrera will guide the club in a caretaker role as it begins its Serie A title defense.  

AC MILAN, INTER SWAP CASSANO, PAZZINI

Italian rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan have swapped star forwards in an unusual preseason transfer.

Inter sent 28-year-old forward Giampaolo Pazzini to AC Milan in exchange for 30-year old Antonio Cassano and €7 million. Both are forwards for the Italian national team, but Cassano, who is coming off a year in which he had heart surgery, was on the squad for Euro 2012 while Pazzini was not. Cassano signed a two-year deal with Inter upon the transfer, while the personal terms of Pazzini's deal with AC Milan were not disclosed.

REAL MADRID, QPR AGREE ON CARVALHO LOAN

Queens Park Rangers' search for defensive reinforcements has led the club to agreeing with Real Madrid and Portugal international centerback Ricardo Carvalho on a season-long loan. The deal will become complete when Carvalho and QPR agree to personal terms.

For Carvalho, 34, the move would mean a return to London, where he played for Chelsea from 2004-2010. He was a key figure for Jose Mourinho in his first season at Real Madrid but was limited to just eight league games a season ago. With Carvalho and Tottenham defender Michael Dawson reportedly on the way to joining new signing Jose Bosingwa at QPR, Mark Hughes is on a mission to improving a defense that was ripped to shreds during a 5-0 season-opening loss to Swansea City.

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Relieved that Aguero's injury is not major? Do you think the club will be fine with Dzeko and Balotelli or should it go out and sign a new forward? Do you see Juventus repeating despite Conte's absence? Who got the better end of the Inter-AC Milan swap? What do you think of QPR's new and improved defense?

Share your thoughts below.