Meanwhile... Milner and Ireland Swap Agreed

It's all change at City at the moment — no sooner had Craig Bellamy left the club, the James Milner/Stephen Ireland swap deal (with about £18million chucked in of course), has been agreed and will be completed shortly.

This is the best deal City could have hoped for. Milner is a brilliant signing, an equal mix of versatility, creativity, and trackbackability. He fits perfectly in the right of midfield in Mancini's planned 4-3-3 system. Whilst he doesn't attract a lot of attention, due to the rather unattractive role he fulfils, he does his job very, very well, and he'll improve the team significantly.

As for Ireland, it's a real shame he couldn't replicate the performances of the 2008-09 season. But he wasn't going to be selected in the Premier League 25-man squad — and nor did he deserve to — so it's only fair that he moves to a club that will play him. Much like the transfer of Bellamy, the fact that Ireland promised so much yet ultimately delivered so little makes it a little hard to take. I'm not particularly thrilled in the manner that we've pursued Milner and forced out Ireland either...

The signing of Milner is the one that completes the puzzle for City, but whether this is the end of our summer spending remains to be seen.