Craig Bellamy to sign for which team?
He’s one of those footballers you come to love, eventually.
Craig Bellamy is certain to be leaving Manchester City before the transfer window closes, and there are several clubs who would like to sign the Welshman.
Controversial, out-spoken, and always wanting things done his way, Bellamy is a love-hate figure in the modern game.
Bellamy has been black-listed by Man City and told by manager Roberto Mancini he will not be included in his 25-man Premier League squad. The 31-year-old has also been told to stay away from the club until a transfer is agreed.
It is understood Bellamy will train with Cardiff City after returning to his homeland to visit his family, and a move to Cardiff City could very well be on the cards. The relationship between Mancini and Bellamy hasn’t been the best since Mancini’s arrival last season, and being told to stay away from Man City’s training ground is a sign of the manager stamping his authority on the club, and, as the kind of character Bellamy is, he is not best pleased with that.
Cardiff manager Dave Jones wants to bring Bellamy to Cardiff on loan, but he could face stiff competition from the likes of Celtic, Sunderland and Fulham. Also, Tottenham Hotspur could try to bring Bellamy to White Hart Lane.
A statement from Cardiff said: “With the number and names of the clubs being mentioned in connection with Craig, it is flattering that we are an option. Being connected to a player of this calibre shows how far we have come to be even considered in a deal like this. We would love for it to happen but we are by no means alone in this.”
You may think that Man City are mad to be letting Bellamy leave, as he was no doubt City’s best player throughout the course of last season, but Mancini wants his own players, and obviously the Welshman is not one of them. Whether you love him or loathe him, his talent on the pitch is never questioned.
If Cardiff want to get Bellamy, it will be up to him whether he wants to play in the Championship. There is a possibility Bellamy could go to Fulham and link up with former manager Mark Hughes, who according to reports are favourites to land him.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp also wants Bellamy, but City are reluctant to sell him to a club who they believe will challenge them for a top-four spot, while Celtic boss Neil Lennon is confident Bellamy will make the move to Scotland for a second time, having previously been there on loan back in 2005.
Come the end of the transfer window, one thing is for sure. Bellamy will not be wearing a City shirt.
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