Roberto Mancini says he is not in charge of Manchester City's transfer deals

[Paul Brooks]

Roberto Mancini says he is not in charge of Manchester City's transfer deals as they look for reinforcements to retain title

Mark Ogden

By Mark Ogden

11:11AM BST 26 Jul 2012

Speaking in Beijing ahead of Friday’s friendly against Arsenal in the Bird’s Nest Stadium, the City manager, who confirmed that captain Vincent Kompany has signed a new six-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, claimed that he is not in charge of squad strengthening.

City’s football administrator Brian Marwood, who has stayed behind in Manchester rather than join the squad in China, is currently the man charged with player recruitment.

And Mancini hinted at his impatience with the failure to add to the squad – a move for Robin van Persie has yet to come to fruition – when asked about City’s quiet summer in the transfer market.

Mancini said: “For this question, speak to the man in charge. I am not in charge of this.

“It is important (to get players quickly) because, after what we did last year, it is important we continue to win.

“This year will not be easy. It will be harder than last year and for this reason, we need to improve our team.

“But I am not the man in charge of this. We have a man who works for this and we hope that they can do a good job.”

With neighbours Manchester United publicly confirming their interest in Van Persie, City face stiff competition for the transfer-seeking Arsenal captain. But Mancini was cautious when discussing City’s prospects of signing last season’s double Footballer of the Year.

“It is difficult to say at this moment.” Mancini said. “Van Persie is an Arsenal player, not our player. He is a fantastic player, but we have four strikers and with those strikers we won the title last year.

“Van Persie is a fantastic player, but he is an Arsenal player.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...ain-title.html