According to the Guardian, Everton manager Roberto Martínez is set to offer Jack Rodwell an escape route out of Manchester City in the summer and make a bid for the injury-ridden midfielder. Rodwell has consistently struggled with injury since his move to the sky blues in August 2012 and despite showing glimmers of his talent, the promising Englishman has failed to break into Manuel Pellegrini's first team. Now 23, Rodwell will have to consider a move to a club that will offer him first team football if he is to kick start any sort of England career.
Talk Sport report that FC Groningen wonderkid Richairo Zivkovic will reject the advances of both Manchester City and Liverpool in favour of a move to Dutch giants Ajax. The 17-year-old, touted as the next Arjen Robben, has scored 5 goals for his club this year and has been linked with a number of top European clubs. However, at still such a young age, staying in the Netherlands may benefit his development.
(Richairo Zivkovic has emerged as one of the Eredivisie's most exciting talents)
In other news, the media have begun their pre-match talk ahead of Wednesday's huge clash with Barcelona, and it seems the Catalan side aren't all that confident of progressing into the quarter-finals.
Gerardo Martino's side enter the game on the back of two stunning defeats to Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid which has left them 4 points behind league leaders Real Madrid and former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas believes his side need 'perfection' to progress to the latter stages.
(Cesc Fabregas believes his side need 'perfection' against Manchester City)
In an interview with Uefa.com, the Spaniard said: "We cannot let it become an open match, running up and down the whole time because that plays to their strengths.
‘We need to control the game by having the ball and creating opportunities, but the most important thing is to finish our attacks so we don’t allow them to play on the counter-attack.
‘I think we need to be almost perfect to ensure we go through to the quarter-finals.'”
However, various reports from British media this morning suggest Manuel Pellegrini could boycott his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday's game in protest of a two-match touchline ban. The Chilean was handed the ban after openly criticising Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson in the aftermath of City's 2-0 loss to Barcelona in the first leg of the tie. Pellegrini fears questions will centre too heavily around his ban and Brian Kidd could face the press in his place.
And finally, ex-Barcelona player Yaya Touré has won Manchester City's Player of the Month award for February. Well done, Yaya!
