Iheanacho Dropped From City’s Pre-Season Tour

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has excluded Kelechi Iheanacho from their touring party for the International Champions Cup (ICC) matches in the USA.

City face rivals Manchester United in Houston on Thursday, before playing matches against Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

Iheanacho’s exclusion from the squad, suggests the 20-year-old is on his way out of Etihad Stadium, having been found surplus to requirements to the squad.

The Super Eagles star has been linked with Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United and he is expected to sort out his future in the coming days.

By Ifreke Inyang

Wenger Not Likely To Qualify For Champions League – Guardiola

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has said that Arsenal might not qualify for next season’s Champions League, as their top four hopes is fading.

City’s 3-1 win over West Brom on Tuesday, should be enough to guarantee a top-four finish, while a win at Watford on Sunday, will seal a place in the group stages of the Champions League.

Arsenal are depending on Middlesbrough to take points off Liverpool and Watford to possibly beat City by a wide margin, for them to qualify.

“I will not say fourth position is done, but Arsenal have to win by five or six against Everton and my good friend Ronald Koeman,” Guardiola told reporters at the Etihad Stadium.

“We are there and we are going to travel to London to try and finish third and go direct to the Champions League. I’m happy it’s in our hands to finish third.

“This club had not played in Europe for 30 years. Now we are there every year, but we have to try and be better next season.”

By Ifreke Inyang

Iheanacho to Be Sold By Manchester City for £20m

Manchester City and Super Eagles striker, Kelechi Iheanacho is certain to be on Pep Guardiola’s summer clear out list at the Etihad Stadium with the club willing to offer the 20-year-old Nigerian for £20m.

According to Daily Mail.com Manchester City was eager to off load the player they signed in 2014 from the Taye Academy in Nigeria and who is under contract until 2021.

German Bundesliga club, Borussia Dortmund had already expressed an interest in the young forward who was tipped for the top by former City boss, Manuel Pellegrini and has scored 21 goals for City despite making only 20 starts.

Under Guardiola however, Iheanacho’s progress had been restricted by the £27million signing of young Brazilian international centre forward, Gabriel Jesus and there is an acceptance he could move on to help finance a rebuild at the club this summer.

Though there is likely to be Premier League interest in Iheanacho, Dortmund are likely to be able to offer Champions League football next season and the chance to play with star forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang if he stays at the club.

Southampton and Hoffenheim had enquired about loans but it is understood City are also prepared to look at permanent transfers.

Stalwart Pablo Zabaleta has already announced he would be leaving at the end of the season and is expected to sign for West Ham while Yaya Toure, Jesus Navas, Willy Caballero, Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy are all out of contract in June.

Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony and Jason Denayer were all sent on loan this season and unlikely to figure in Guardiola’s future plans.

Patrick Roberts, currently on loan at Celtic, would be sent on another loan spell, this time to a Premier League club or abroad to gain wider experience.

By Joe Apu