Eriksson uses Italy contacts to bring £9m Bianchi to City

By Chris Maume

Wednesday, 11 July 2007

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Sven Goran Eriksson enjoyed the most successful period of his career in Italy, and it is to there that he has turned to make his first signing as the new manager of Manchester City. Last night the finishing touches were being applied to a deal that will bring in the striker Rolando Bianchi from Reggina for around £8.8m, with an announcement expected today.

Yesterday morning the president of the Italian side, Pasquale Foti, said: "We have reached a preliminary agreement with Manchester City... The deal will be completed on Wednesday."

Bianchi, 24, was the fourth-highest scorer in Serie A last season, his 18 goals in 37 appearances proved vital in helping Reggina to finish in 14th place, one point clear of the relegation zone, despite the heavy points reduction they incurred when the Calciopoli scandal broke last year.

Eriksson has contacts in Italy, having managed Lazio, Sampdoria and Roma, and appears to have used his links to land Bianchi, whose goals could help to prevent a scenario similar to last season's, when City somehow failed to score in the Premiership at the Eastlands Stadium between January and the end of the season and scored 10 times in 19 home games overall.

In the last few days Bianchi had also been talking to officials from Napoli, though negotiations fell through. Napoli lost patience with the young Italian and instead signed the Argentine player Ezequiel Ivan Lavezzi from San Lorenzo. Bianchi was also on the shortlists of Milan and Fiorentina.

Earlier in the year, he was also linked with a move to Middlesbrough not to mention Arsenal, Liverpool and Portsmouth displaying in the process a lack of loyalty to Reggina that may cause Eriksson to pause for thought. "I would like to be transferred, I often said so," he said at the time.

After a stop-start career, the 24-year-old former Atalanta and Cagliari man caught the eye with his displays last season. He is 6ft 1in, physically strong, powerful in the air and has a reputation for having two good feet. In addition, he has scored five goals in as many starts for the Italian Under-21 side, including one on his debut, and has been widely tipped to gain full international honours in the not so distant future.

The move will be Eriksson's first foray into the transfer market, following Thaksin Shinawatra's takeover of the club, but will surely not be his last, following the summer departures of Joey Barton and Sylvain Distin from City.

It also signifies Eriksson's willingness to capitalise on his " substantial" transfer kitty by utilising his Serie A contacts.

Bianchi may well make his debut in Eriksson's homeland, as City have confirmed that they will play two friendlies against the Swedish sides Orgryte IS next Wednesday and Carlstad United three days later.

Bianchi began his career in 2000 with Atalanta. He played 20 games for their first team but had a barren run, despite being a prolific scorer in the reserves.

He was loaned to Cagliari in Serie B in 2003, playing 14 matches for the Sardinians, scoring two goals, then returned to Atalanta the following January, but was restricted to one first-team appearance in the second half of the season.

Bianchi moved again to Cagliari, who by then had been promoted to Serie A, in June 2004; but, once again, he found goals hard to come by, scoring only two in 25 games. Disillusioned with their underperforming striker, Cagliari sold him on to Reggina in 2005.

He played in the 2006 Under-21 Championship in Portugal, where he made three appearances and scored once.

In Bangkok a court has ordered the country's ousted Prime Minister and City's new owner, Thaksin, to appear for a corruption trial on 14 August. A panel of judges agreed to proceed with charges summarised as " misconduct of a government official and violation of a ban on state officials being party to transactions involving public interests". If convicted, Thaksin, who lives in exile, could face up to 10 years in jail. Which would just be Manchester City's luck.

Forward facts: Bianchi's statistics

Born: 15 February 1983

Place of birth: Albano Sant'Alessandro, Italy

Height: 6ft 1in

Clubs:

Atalanta (2000-03)

20 games, 0 goals

Cagliari (loan; 03-Jan 04 )

14 games, 2 goals

Atalanta (Jan 04-June 04)

1 game, 0 goals

Cagliari (June 04-05)