Source: Daily_Mail
Nigel de Jong set for biggest game since World Cup final as Manchester City eye next challenge
ShareAfter spending more than ?350m on more than twenty players over three seasons, Manchester City are finally on the verge of where they want to be. The question is: What do they do next?[LNB]If City can beat Tottenham at Eastlands then they will play Champions League football next season. As such, coach Roberto Mancini will have fulfilled the first part of the brief he was given when he joined the club just before the Christmas of 2009.[LNB]The game - described by City midfielder Nigel de Jong as his biggest since last summer's World Cup Final - is almost a repeat of last season's fourth-place decider between the clubs. On that occasion Tottenham prevailed and went on to reach the last eight of this season's Champions' League.[LNB]It is Tottenham's experience this season, though, that Mancini is keen to use as a lesson when he sits down with the club's board to plan strategy at the end of this season.[LNB]Crucial summer: Roberto Mancini[LNB]Given that City have a six-point lead over the London club - and a better goal difference - they are heavy favourites to play in Europe's blue riband competition next time round. It is understood, though, that Mancini has reservations about his current squad's ability to cope with that and the annual rigours of the Barclays Premier League.[LNB]Tottenham have showed this season how difficult it can be to succeed on both fronts. Memories of thrilling European nights against both Milan clubs, for example, will be tainted a little if they find themselves excluded from the competition next season.[LNB]Mancini has noted this and is understandably keen to spend again this summer. He currently feels his squad lacks some depth but has heard noises from his board that the policy may be one of caution this summer.[LNB]With City chief executive Garry Cook and football administrator Brian Marwood wary of the implications of UEFA's imminent Financial Fair Play regulations, they have concerns that the club's wage bill doesn't get significantly higher.[LNB]As such the City board are keen that unwanted players like Emmanuel Adebayor and Craig Bellamy are transferred permanently before they commit themselves to significant spending.[LNB]Cook was in Italy at the weekend watching one of Mancini's targets, the Udinese forward Alexis Sanchez. The club also has a firm interest in Bolton defender Gary Cahill.[LNB]This shows that City are preparing the groundwork for new players but whether firm bids are forthcoming will depend on the future of current city captain Carlos Tevez and the likes of Bellamy and Adebayor.[LNB]Between them these three players earn the best part of ?500,000-a-week. That all adds up to an outlay of ?25m-a-year so it is easy to see the City board's concern.[LNB][LNB] Hey, big spenders: Manchester City sported ?16million Nigel de Jong, ?27m Edin Dzeko, ?24m Yaya Toure and ?30m David Silva in their line-up against Everton on Saturday[LNB]Tottenham did recruit players last summer. Players like Rafael van der Vaart and the Brazilian Sandro played their part in Europe. Ultimately, though, Harry Redknapp's squad proved itself insufficient.[LNB]Recently rumours have surfaced about Mancini's future, as have suggestions that is relationship with Cook is strained.[LNB]The truth is that Juventus have indeed discreetly contacted him about a move to Turin this summer and that he and his chief executive have had their spiky moments this season.[LNB]As he looks to the future, Mancini will hope that his close relationship with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak will have stand him in good stead. There is certainly an argument that a coach who guides his club to the Champions League and the FA Cup Final in his first full season deserves to backed in the transfer market and he will make that point at the end of the month.[LNB]Mancini will also hope that new contracts for players like Micah Richards, Nigel de Jong, Joe Hart and young forward John Guidetti will be forthcoming this summer. City's policy of leaving contract negotiations until the summer can look peculiar at times, especially with players like Richards who only has a year left on his current deal.[LNB]Ahead of Tuesday's big game, Mancini can only hope that his team can forget how poor they were in throwing away a one-goal lead to lose at Everton at the weekend. Certainly Dutch international De Jong is no under ilusions about the task facing City as they prepare to take on Tottenham and then Stoke City in Saturday's Cup Final.[LNB]'This is a very important week for the club, the players and the fans,' said De Jong. [LNB] Do or die: Nigel de Jong (right) can't wait to get stuck in to Champions League football[LNB]'This is do or die for Manchester City. Fourth place is in reach and everything is in our hands. We just have to win this game. [LNB]'We then have a chance to be FA Cup winners after 35 years. We just have to learn from the Everton game.[LNB]'At the beginning of the season, it was a tough road and we had a lot of new signings to settle in. [LNB]Towards the end we have an opportunity to get that Champions League place and clinch our first piece of silverware. The last time I played in games this big was at the World Cup.'[LNB] Harry Redknapp: Manchester City's spending won't stop until they win the Champions LeagueRoll over for City? You're barking mad! Pennant insists Stoke relish Cup final underdog tagAll the latest Manchester City news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Craig Bellamy, Harry Redknapp, Gary Cahill, Joe Hart, Carlos Tevez, Roberto Mancini, Emmanuel Adebayor Places: Milan, Italy, Europe
