Tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra has put Manchester City’s entire squad up for sale in the latest twist to his bizarre behaviour.
Thai billionaire Shinawatra, who is already set to sack manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, is apparently so disgusted with the team’s performances in the second half of the season that he wants a massive clear-out, including young stars such as Micah Richards, Michael Johnson and Joe Hart.
The news of the impending fire sale throws City even deeper into turmoil and will further antagonise fans, who staged a mass demonstration against Shinawatra last week.
They are threatening to withhold money for season tickets until it becomes clear who the manager will be next season and what players will be on the pitch. It also underlines the belief of many City insiders that Shinawatra does not understand football.
City’s owner, it is understood, has written a letter to each member of the team conveying his feelings.
He has put all contract talks on hold and wants to start next season from scratch with a new
manager and new players. All this has prompted deputy chairman John Wardle, who is distraught at the crisis, to apologise to the players for selling the club to Shinawatra.
But the damage has been done and many players will be delighted to jump ship and relaunch their careers at a club with a less volatile owner.
Skipper Richard Dunne is expected to join Newcastle for £5million. The poor treatment of Eriksson was the final straw for Dunne, City’s Player of the Season. Richards is also unhappy.
He signed a new four-year contract in February because he was sure the club were going in the right direction. But Manchester United and Chelsea have now been alerted.
Johnson is a target for Liverpool, and goalkeeper Hart is being pursued by Tottenham, who also covet Martin Petrov, City’s Bulgarian winger.
Sunderland have been eyeing Stephen Ireland and there would be no shortage of bids for Elano.
Morale was so low that City lost Sunday’s final league game 8-1 against Middlesbrough
The farce at Man City continues
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