Mancini frank over striker surplus

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has sanctioned the departure of surplus strikers Craig Bellamy and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Mancini has a wealth of attacking options to choose from for the season ahead, as new signing Sergio Aguero is set to vie with Mario Balotelli and Eden Dzeko for a place in City’s forward line.

Want-away Argentine Carlos Tevez could yet feature in Mancini’s plans next season, with the Italian coach welcoming the depth of talent at his disposal.

“When Carlos comes back to training on Thursday we will have four strikers fighting for the shirts,” Mancini said.

“That’s good for us. When you are playing in four competitions, we need that competition, we need those players.”

“Players fighting for the shirt is a good thing.”

Forward Craig Bellamy spent last season on loan at Cardiff and could be set to join Scottish Premier League club Celtic under a similar arrangement.

“It is possible that there have been conversations about Craig Bellamy between us and Celtic,” Mancini said.

“I met Craig two days ago at Carrington. I spoke with him for 10 minutes. It was a friendly conversation – everything was normal.”

“He told me something I want to keep to myself. What I said two days ago was that if Celtic want Craig, he is a good player and I think he can go.”

“He is a good striker and needs to be playing. Celtic are a good team. I would let him go on loan, because Craig deserves to play and he deserved to play for a good team. If they want him, sure.”

Another out of favour striker, Togolese Emmanuel Adebayor, was loaned to Real Madrid for the second half of 2010/11.

Mancini is happy for the former Arsenal man to join Real on a permanent deal, but it remains to be seen if the Spanish giants are interested in acquiring the 27-year-old.

“He wants to go to Real Madrid and if they want to take him, they can. We have four top strikers and it is really difficult,” Mancini said.

“Manu is a good striker. We can’t carry six strikers. He needs to play and I would be happy for him to go back to Real Madrid.”

“I hope he can go back there. It is like with Craig. We have a lot of strikers, but I can’t play six in the same strikers.”

“It’s important we find a good solution for them. I understand their situations.”