By TRAVIS CLARK
Enigmatic Italian striker Mario Balotelli signed with Manchester City, one day prior to the start of the Premier League season.
Inter Milan sent the 20-year-old to the Eastlands in exchange for a reported fee of £24 million, ending a long summer of speculation about the striker's future. Balotelli passed a medical in Manchester and signed a five-year deal with the Premier League club. The move comes the same week that the striker made his full international debut in a friendly against Ivory Coast.
Balotelli is reunited with Roberto Mancini, who managed the striker while in charge of Inter Milan back in 2008. Manchester City is reported to also be finishing up a deal for Aston Villa midfielder James Milner. They open the season against Tottenham Saturday morning.
Here are a few other stories for Friday afternoon:
OMAR BRAVO SIGNS WITH WIZARDS, TO JOIN IN 2011
MLS has a new Designated Player, but one who won't suit up until the 2011 season. The Kansas City Wizards agreed to a deal that will see Mexican striker Omar Bravo join the Wizards ahead of next season, as the striker is going to be loaned back to his current club Chivas de Guadalajara for the rest of the Mexican Apertura season. As part of the deal, the Wizards and Chivas will each host a friendly against each other in 2011.
RAMIRES MAKES CHELSEA SWITCH
Chelsea FC added depth to their midfield, acquiring 24-year-old Brazilian midfielder Ramires from Benfica. The reported fee of £17 million comes just one year after Benfica brought Ramires to Portugal from Brazilian club Cruzeiro for just £6.2 million. He's the second player to join Chelsea during the transfer window this summer.
MANCHESTER UNITED SIGN PORTUGUESE STRIKER
Another striker is on his way to Manchester, but this one is more of an unknown. Manchester United announced the signing of Bebe, a Poruguese striker from Vitória de Guimarães. The signing comes just five weeks after Bebe signed a five-year deal with Vitoria, after his third division club Estrela da Amadora couldn't afford his wages. The acquisition came from the recommendation of Portugal national team manager and former United assistant Carlos Queiroz.
MLS NOTES
Philadelphia Union announced that they will play a friendly against Chivas de Guadalajara on September 1.
Sounders FC placed midfielder Brad Evans on the Injured Reserves. He'll be eligible to return October 2. Seattle also recalled Mike Fucito off the Disabled List.
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What do you think of Balotelli's move? Excited to see Bravo joining MLS? Think Ramires will succeed in the Premier League? What do you make of Bebe?
Share your thoughts below.
why didnt you think he was that good?
Kansas City is in both Missouri and Kansas. Most of the Kansas City sports teams are in KCMO, but the Wizards, however, play their matches in KCK now.
My understanding is that he is very physical and strong and wins balls in the midfield well.
That might have been a bad game. I hear and see that he could be a brilliant box to box player in just a couple of years. I would even argue that he already is.
Kansas city is in Missouri
Nevermind, looks like garbage. I can’t find anything about it at all.
Anyone following Ramires since Cruzeiro understands he has a lot of talent and speed.
It will be interesting to see how he adapts to the style and physical play of the EPL.
KC lining up their new stadium with a designated player… Should drive a few ticket sales. Omar is a good player.
Hey Ives or anyone else really – I was just told by a guy I know over the pond that Altidore is on a weeks trial with West Ham with the intention of signing if he passes a physical! He swears he isn’t pulling my leg and that both the BBC and Sky Sports have reported it. Can anyone confirm this?
Yes, he was the lone defender back on the 5-touch counterattack heard round the world.
However, he did look pretty quick in the WC and on Tuesday night…
I didn’t think Ramires was all that good. Wasn’t he the guy that Donovan lit up in Confederations Cup?
Lots of Mexicans working in those meatpacking plants in Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas, actually.
That’s funny.
A year? Seems a bit like MLS wages to me. Sure that’s not per week?
Clearly, someone in the Mexican National Team setup saw your plan nicely laid out on the napkin and is putting it into effect.
I can see it now, Enrique Meza, standing there in his black hooded robe sending a message simultaneously across the globe to every Mexican National Team player, “Execute Order 66.” The players immediately give their cross-chest salute, “It will be done, my lord!” and then call their agents “Get me on an
MLS team NOW!”
Do you see what you’ve started Kevin? Great going, buddy! 😛
Really KC. Whats wrong with you Chivas USA! Can’t you get a Mexican International you are Chivas by the way. And you are in the second largest media market that happens to have a bunch of mexicans in it. Much more than in all of Kansas.
I read it was only 40,000 a year… And I say only…
Another Mexican International coming to MLS?
Could it be that their plan to undermine our MLS-based players is no longer just a conspiracy theory I drew on a napkin at a bar after the USA game at Azteca?
I really hope City didn’t have to give him his proposed 200k a week. I think it’s a good move, get out of Italy, score some goals. If anything, out and out strikers are things City doesn’t have the most depth in. Ramires strikes me as a bit dirty. When he goes against De-Jong or Masch (if he’s around), they’ll be a brawl. Did Kia Joorabchian give up his rights to him though? Thought the prem wanted nothing to do with him though…