adminstruggle to finalise a deal. The 23-year-old has been a target for City and Arsenal throughout the summer.
City are continuing to negotiate over a £20m move for Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo although the Spanish club have yet to receive a formal offer.
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has called on his team to put last season’s difficulties behind them and go all-out for trophies under new boss Manuel Pellegrini.
City were dogged by internal rifts throughout the last campaign, as the dressing room became an increasingly divisive place under former manager Roberto Mancini.
The Italian displayed an alarming tendency to criticise his players, with Kompany, Joe Hart, Samir Nasri and Mario Balotelli all publically scalded by Mancini as the curtain came down on one of the most tempestuous managerial reigns in English football.
And with City’s meek defence of the Premier League title compounded by a humiliating FA Cup final defeat against Wigan, Kompany and his charges are determined to improve under the new regime.
Kompany told the club’s official website: ‘I think all of us have done some preparation work during the holidays though because the guys look very sharp after a long break, so that’s great.
‘It was also nice to start work with the new manager and I think his approach with the team today was really good.
‘It’s important now to try and improve on the last campaign and make sure that whatever the new manager brings in, that we try and make it our own as quick as possible.’
After the bitter turmoil of last season — when City finished 11 points behind Champions Manchester United and once again exited the Champions League at the group stages — Kompany believes the players have an obligation to perform and win trophies.
The Belgian said: ‘We’re at a big club, so the only goal we can have is to win trophies. There’s about six or seven clubs in England alone in this situation, so it will be very competitive.
‘Our objective this year is to win things and to play well together. We all know that we have to be very strong as a team and bond with each other.
‘It’s an important year for everyone; we have a lot to put right after last season and internationally it’s a World Cup year, so there are so many reasons to perform well.
‘We’ve got the squad to do that, but a lot of hard work needs to be done first.’ — Mailonline.
Online Reporter