Onuoha gets second chance in City squad from Mancini

Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha, whose mother's correspondence with Garry Cook has left the chief executive with a slim hold on his job, is to be brought back into manager Roberto Mancini's plans for this season.

The 24-year-old wanted to leave City in the summer, having long despaired of regular first-team football, but the club's failure to agree a move to Everton, Blackburn Rovers or Queen's Park Rangers, has led the former England under-21 international to seek discussions with Mancini and earn a second chance. Mancini, who lacks home-grown players for his Champions League squad quota, is keen to take that opportunity and give the defender another chance.

It means that Onuoha will no longer be with the City reserves set-up and is likely to take a place in the first-team squad when City's campaign restarts at home to Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Onuoha's fellow defender Wayne Bridge, another of the higher profile players who failed to secure a move away from City, remains out of the picture.

Onuoha has always believed that City should not squander the work done at their Academy while seeking Champions League and Premier League success. He went on loan to Sunderland last season but a permanent move was not forthcoming.