Player Preview #9 - Emmanuel Adebayor

CURRENTLY unsettled at Manchester City, Emmanuel Adebayor could get his wish to move away from the Etihad Stadium this summer, providing potential buyers stump up the £14m asking price.

Having spent the last five months of the previous campaign on-loan at Spanish giants Real Madrid, Adebayor is holding out for a permanent deal that could take him back to the Santiago Bernabéu.

He has made no secret of his desire to leave Manchester, and is just one of several want away players under Roberto Mancini's charge at the Etihad Stadium. But, the Togolese striker's £170,000-a-week wages will be a major stumbling block if he is to engineer a move away from City.

Reports have suggested that he has turned down approaches from Blackburn Rovers and Paris Saint-Germain, who were hoping that they would be able to tempt Adebayor with a move back to France.

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But the former Arsenal man would prefer a return to Spain where he played at the highest level under José Mourinho. Los Merengues made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League, only to be seen off by fierce rivals Barcelona, who would go on to win the competition 3-1 against Manchester United at Wembley.

It is understandable why Adebayor would want to leave City. Despite the attraction of European football, he has simply fallen out of favour with Mancini, and there is no shortage of funds at the club to recruit more strikers should both Adebayor and Tevez leave this summer.

No player wants to sit on the bench, or not even get in the matchday squad week in week out, so it is only fair that the man who cost £25m when he signed from Arsenal in 2009 should be allowed to leave should the right offer come in.

What may displease City fans is the way Adebayor has gone about his demands to leave. Too often he has spoken out of turn, verbally bashing the club from time to time. Though the City faithful never like to boo a returning player, I cannot see Adebayor getting the warmest of receptions should he ever cross the white line at the Etihad Stadium in the future.

Player Preview #8 - Shaun Wright-Phillips

PERHAPS the most celebrated academy graduate in Manchester City's recent history, Shaun Wright-Phillips is one of the finest talents to grace the first team.

He burst onto the scene in 1999 in a Division One game at Port Vale, in which he helped turn around a 1-0 deficit to give City all three points. It took a few seasons before Wright-Phillips cemented a regular starting role, but after relegation from the Premier League in 2001, new manager Kevin Keegan employed him as a wing-back - in keeping with his attacking philosophy.

It would prove to be the campaign that was the making of Wright-Phillips as he established himself as one of the finest talents outside of the Premier League - but not for long as he collected a Division One winners medal.

Normally, the step up to England's top flight is one of the most difficult in world football, and especially at such a young age, but the former Nottingham Forest youth player proved to be a natural and was soon catching the eye of several top Premiership clubs.

Eventually, Wright-Phillips made his England debut in 2004, coming on as a substitute against Ukraine and scoring a late goal in a 3-0 win at St James' Park, Newcastle.

After breaking onto the international scene, he soon attracted interest from a host of top clubs, amongst them Manchester United and Arsenal. Many tipped the then 24-year-old to seal a move to the Gunners after stepfather Ian Wright's successful career at Highbury, but Wright-Phillips opted for a move to Chelsea in a £21m deal in 2005.

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After a tough time in the capital, Wright-Phillips returned 'home' in 2008 after winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Carling Cup with the Stamford Bridge outfit. The arrival of Luiz Felipe Scolari saw the winger fall out of favour, and City boss Mark Hughes swooped with a deal rumoured to be £8.5m.

His second City debut saw him bag two goals as Sunderland were brushed aside 3-0 at the Stadium of Light, and he was looking like his old self once more. Wright-Phillips was reborn and given a new lease of life, playing on the right of a front four that included Robinho, Elano and Stephen Ireland.

However, since the arrival of Roberto Mancini in December 2009, he has fallen out of favour, despite his fine start to the 2009-10 campaign. A dip in form and confidence has done nothing to help improve the tricky winger's situation at the Etihad Stadium, and, regrettably, could find his way out of the club this summer, with Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic both keen on his signature.

It would be a shame to see Wright-Phillips leave his 'home' again, especially considering all he has done in his time with the club. He is a fans' favourite for a reason, and maybe Mancini will hold onto him if he is unable to secure his desired transfer targets this summer.

I am sure there will be a few tears in the eyes of City fans who were old enough to remember that nippy teenager flying down the right wing as City began their revolution a decade ago.

Player Preview #7 - James Milner

HE WAS earmarked as one of Roberto Mancini's main transfer targets when he arrived from Italy in December 2009, and in August 2010, James Milner arrived in Manchester. It was a deal rumoured to be worth in excess of £20m - plus Stephen Ireland heading in the opposite direction to Aston Villa.

Although not a regular starter last campaign, Milner still made 42 appearances for Manchester City, including a start in the FA Cup victory over Stoke City.

While he is not a flair player who really gets the crowd going, the England international boasts a fantastic work ethic and steely determination that makes him such a fine asset to have in the squad.

His versatility is what sets him out from the rest. He is able to play on the flanks, in the middle or even slot in at full-back if necessary. Milner is just the type of player Mancini loves to have at his disposal, as demonstrated with the inclusion of Pablo Zabaleta, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany.

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One thing you know you will get with Milner is 100% commitment. The former Newcastle United man will run through a brick wall for the team, and that is why City fans love him.

It will be interesting to see what sort of role the England U21 record cap holder is deployed in this season. With City competing in the Champions League and domestic competitions, Milner could find himself starting more games than he did last term, due to the physical demands on the rest of the squad.

His aggressive style will set him in good stead on City's European adventures, as will his direct approach, as continental defenders tend to struggle when the game is taken to them.

There is no doubt about it, Milner will be a key player for the club this season - providing he stays injury free. Mancini would not have gambled so much money on a player who would be making appearances off the bench week in week out. He is definitely a big part of City's future, starting this season.

Player Preview #6 - Michael Johnson

ANOTHER graduate of Manchester City's famed youth academy, Michael Johnson was one of the hottest prospects on the Premier League scene before his career was blighted by a series of injuries.

His first City goal came under the reign of Sven-Göran Eriksson in a 1-0 victory on the first home game of the 2007-08 campaign against Derby County. That would prove to be Johnson's best season for the club, making 23 appearances.

However, mid-season, he suffered an abdominal injury which kept him out for a few months, but he returned in February 2008 and saw the term out. After a promising start to the next campaign, a recurrence of the abdominal injury against Brighton and Hove Albion in a Carling Cup tie would see the midfielder sidelined for the rest of the season.

Since then, the 23-year-old has made just two appearances for the club, one in the league against West Ham United, the other in a 5-1 victory over Scunthorpe United, in which he scored the fifth goal.

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Sadly, in December 2009, Johnson suffered a serious knee injury in training which would keep him out for the remainder of the season. He has failed to make an appearance for the first team since, and has stated that he would like to leave the club on-loan in order to regain match fitness.

Now, he has been left out of the City team for the tour of the U.S this month, along with several other first team players who are expected to leave the club. Emmanuel Adebayor is one of the biggest names left behind by Roberto Mancini, and there is no secret of his desire to quit the FA Cup winners this summer.

It would be a shame to see a player of Johnson's calibre leave, especially having seen him come through the ranks. Had he been able to remain fit, he may have had a crucial role to play in the future of the club, but, as it is, he may find himself shipped out by Mancini in order to make way for a less injury prone player.

Once labelled as 'the next Colin Bell', the Platt Lane graduate is loved by City fans for his surging runs from midfield and his ability to pick out a pass with consummate ease. Hopefully he will be at the club for years to come and enjoy the success with the fans. It would be great to see him back out on the Etihad Stadium pitch once more.

High Fliers

EASTLANDS is no longer. The new home of Manchester City is now called the Etihad Stadium in a naming rights deal believed to be worth £100m.

"We are delighted to be expanding our relationship with Etihad Airways through this comprehensive partnership agreement," said City CEO Garry Cook.

"Most importantly, in addition to delivering significant revenue at a key stage in the Club's evolution, the agreement creates exciting opportunities for our two organisations to cooperate more deeply commercially and on media and community initiatives in the future."

This looks like a shrewd bit of business by City's mega rich owners as they look for any form of income in order to balance the books in time for the Champions League in a couple of years.

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With UEFA's decision to ban clubs who spend more than their income, it was crucial that City found extra money from somewhere to help wipe out the £300m spend on new players since Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan bought the club in 2008.

Not only will it help cover the transfer fees, but also the wage bill - which is amongst one of the highest in the sporting world.

All kinds of sponsorship deals have been looked at, including lucrative shirt deals, but UEFA insisted they will investigate every deal to make sure that payments are not 'excessive'.

"This is a game-changing partnership agreement that redefines the traditional sports sponsorship paradigm," said Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan. "It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for two iconic brands that share the same vision to promote far-reaching global awareness and business growth."

City join a handful of Premier League clubs who have sold the naming rights to their stadium. Arsenal, Bolton Wanderers, Stoke City, Swansea City and Wigan Athletic are the select few who have income from the name of their stadiums, and now fans will be hoping the Etihad Stadium will become a fortress and send fear into the hearts of opposition players.

Player Preview #5 - Pablo Zabaleta

A FAN favourite if ever we have seen one. The gritty utility man certainly put himself about last season and, for his troubles, ended up coming off the pitch for treatment in the majority of his outings.

The versatile Argentina international even has his own comic book sketch on the Manchester City website called 'Zabman'.

Last campaign was marked by a stunning Zabaleta goal at Craven Cottage as City romped to a 4-1 win over former boss Mark Hughes' Fulham, and add to that an FA Cup Winners medal, it was a very successful season for the former Espanyol man.

Ironically, he is another one of Hughes' signings - like Vincent Kompany and Nigel de Jong. All three are the spine of the team, willing to throw themselves at a brick wall in order to defend the goal at all costs.

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At just £6.5m, Zabaleta was an absolute steal by Hughes in August 2008. His importance to the team was emphasised when he made his 100th appearance for the club on New Year's Day in the 1-0 win over relegated Blackpool.

His commitment and work rate is what sets him aside from most players, as the 26-year-old runs himself into the ground on a regular basis for City. Above everything else, the fans love a player who shows that sort of determination - which is why they have adopted want-away striker Carlos Tevez as one of their own.

But what does this season hold in store for the man capped nine times by his country?

With his ability to play at either right or left-back and in the middle of the pitch, there will always be a position available for him. The arrival of Gaël Clichy from Arsenal this summer has added another player to the left side of defence, which means Zabaleta will be giving stern competition to fellow right-back Micah Richards.

With the Champions League games set to have a huge effect on player fatigue, Roberto Mancini will no doubt continue his rotation policy, meaning the 2008 Olympic Gold medalist with Argentina will be used to great effect both in the league and domestic competitions in order to keep the squad fit to fight on all fronts.

Hoping to add to his FA Cup triumph, Zabaleta will be even more hungry for success (if it is even possible).

Player Preview #4 - Vincent Kompany

WITHOUT a shadow of a doubt Manchester City's stand-out performer last season, emphasised by his Player's Player of the Year and Official Supporter's Player of the Year awards - not to mention a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

FA Cup triumph was a fitting way to end a fantastic season for the Belgian, who was City's most consistent performer throughout the term (rivalled by former Hamburg teammate Nigel de Jong).

The 25-year-old was Roberto Mancini's first choice centre-back all campaign and only missed one Premier League fixture. Perhaps one of his more impressive performances came in the 1-0 victory over Chelsea in September, where he restricted Didier Drogba to shooting from long range for the entire game.

Kompany captained the side, in the absence of Carlos Tevez, as City secured a place in the FA Cup Final at the expense of Manchester United, with a 1-0 win in April - and it looks like he is set to be given the role on a permanent basis, should the Argentinian (and fellow member of the PFA Team of the Year) get his wish to leave the club this summer.

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The powerful defender will fit the bill perfectly. His presence alone is enough to ward off attackers, but with the added responsibility of leadership, Kompany will command greater respect from his fellow professionals in a role he will relish and make his own for several years.

At £6m, the Belgian was probably one of Mark Hughes' most shrewd captures during his reign as City boss, and, at the time, no one would realise how crucial his arrival would prove to be.

He was employed mainly as a holding midfielder to allow the likes of Stephen Ireland, Elano, Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips the licence to roam free, before being converted to a centre back after the departure of Richard Dunne to Aston Villa.

Now he will be a fantastic role model for young defenders coming through the ranks - the likes of Dedryck Boyata in particular will learn vast amounts from his fellow countryman, and new arrival Stefan Savic will surely turn to Kompany for advice on how to improve his game. Not to mention the academy and Elite Development stars vying for their opportunity in the first team.

Kompany is in the peak of his career and, minus a few championships in his native Belgium, only has last season's FA Cup triumph to boast on his CV. But all that is about to change. He is at the heart of City's revolution, and he is going to be the man hoisting the trophies aloft as he goes down in history as being one of the club's most successful captains.