Trigger or Bullet

Only two days to go before the bargaining begins in earnest and a reminder of potential ins and outs could be in order.

Heading (or Edin)to Eastlands looks likely for Bosnian Dzeko. Bundesliga goal machine in an unfancied team, rapidly sliding down the ropes from the summit. Mancini thinks this could the final catalyst to spark the revolution.

Bordeaux seem a bit to keen to offload Alou Diarra, who sounds to me like something off the menu down at my local Tandoori House. Also believed to be 29, I do not quite see where he fits the bill other than coming in quite cheaply at around £7million.

The array of Portuguese and Brazilian defenders headed by Luiz and Pepe won't go away. I am unsure where these players fit the bill. How long would it be before Pepe gets homesick anf Luiz wants to play for Real Madrid?

It looks like the banker is Dzeko and the others are on their agents wish list, rather than City beong on theirs.

The exit chute looks to be greased and ready for action. A loan move to West Ham for Bridge looks unlikely with West Ham probably looking to City to fund a bit of that. So it's pay up or push off for the hammers.

Adebayor, with his Louis Saha and Andy Cole type injury, could find himself remarkably fit again if anyone comes knocking. Maybe Milan, Madrid and Juventus have been amongst the more active of his dreams, but I cannot see the penniless Italians coughing up for him and I cannot see Mourinho wanting him other than on loan as bench warming material for the rest of the season on a 'just-in-case' basis. For me this player has deliberately let his standards slip, which casts a lot of doubts all round.

Santa Cruz - can anyone make him out? He's turned down a loan move to Lazio. Maybe he fancies being a make weight fot Dzeko?

There doesn't look to be any concrete interest in SWP or Shay Given at this stage, but the month is not even young, yet.

Then, today, I have seen the laughable ones, with skint AC Milan's coach saying he wouldn't mind Balotelli and Juventus hunting for Kolarov on loan. Where do Milan think they can conjure up wages plus £30million for Super Mario? And why would Kolarov want to play for a team that couldn't beat City's shadow squad in the Europa League, at their own stadium with almost their best team out?

As always, no doubt we will be glued to media outlets for any news on the comings and goings. I do think however that the powers that be are hoping to sign Dzeko in order to introduce him to the crowd on New Year's Day.

NEW YEARS DAY ON VMC:

Head for the VMC Match Day Experience Forum for the build up and beyond to the third part of City's festive trilogy when Blackpool come to town.

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