England is like living in a cave: Nolito

MANCHESTER. – Manchester City have given Nolito permission to speak to Sevilla as he moaned that his time in England was ‘‘like living in a cave’’. During a bizarre interview in Spain, the winger claimed his daughter Lola’s face had changed colour because of the North West weather.They are comments unlikely to go down well in Manchester after last summer’s £13,8million signing from Celta Vigo failed to live up to early-season hype.

City want £12m for a permanent deal but Sevilla would prefer a loan switch.
Either way, his exit looks set to be confirmed in the coming weeks. By January, the £100,000-a-week star was effectively deemed surplus to requirements by Pep Guardiola and embarrassingly sidelined by Jesus Navas.

‘‘My daughter’s face has changed colour – it looks like she’s been living in a cave,’’ the 30-year-old told Spanish radio station El Transistor. ‘‘I have learnt very, very little English – it’s very hard. Just “tomorrow”, “good morning”, “good afternoon” and a little more.

‘‘I don’t think City are counting on me too much, given how I’ve played since January.’’ Vigo and Real Betis are interested in taking Nolito on loan, while he was spotted talking to Sevilla’s sporting director Oscar Arias in an ice cream parlour on Tuesday.

But Nolito, who was one of Guardiola’s first signings as City boss, said he was merely shopping in Seville when he bumped into Arias by chance. ‘‘I was just casually shopping for clothes for my wife in Seville,’’ he added.

‘‘I went to get a coffee and bumped into Sevilla’s director of football casually. ‘‘I later met the Sevilla president, and I’m just glad no-one took a photo.

‘‘I don’t think City are counting on me too much, given how I’ve played since January. I am under the contract, so the club will decide, but I want to leave. I haven’t played in six months.

‘‘I will do everything possible to make Spain’s World Cup squad.”

Rainy City Vs Sunny Seville

Manchester

Average temperature – 10C

Coldest month – January 4C

Hottest month – July 16C

Rains 140 days per year

Temperature fell to -17C in January 2010

1127 miles north of Seville – known as the ‘‘rainy city’’

Seville

Average temperature – 19C

Coldest month – January 11C