Blues Closing In On Mariga

McDonald Mariga should be a City player by the end of the day.

The 22 year old Kenyan is reportedly flying to England from Italy to complete his £7m move from Parma to City this afternoon, although it has been reported on a couple of blogs that the powerful Kenyan is already in Manchester for a medical while the Italian side claim the move is awaiting approval from the FA.

Once completed, Mariga will become manager Roberto Mancini’s second signing as City boss following the early January move for former Arsenal star Patrick Vieira.

City are less hopeful though of signing Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson. The blues latest bid, rumoured to be around £7m still falls below Boro’s expectations and City may now have to wait until the summer when the youngster will be out of contract at The Riverside. That is unless Chelsea get in first as the Londoner’s are rumoured to be preparing a bid of their own and try to pip City to his signature.

Mancini is also rumoured to have one last effort to sign Fernando Gaga from Real Madrid.

So far, the only player to have left the club on transfer deadline day is right back Javan Vidal, who has joined Championship side Derby County on loan, but Zimbabwean striker Benjani is wanted by Blackburn.

Stay tuned. We’ll have more news when it arrives.