City's Thai takeover talk
23 Apr 2007 - 08:57:40
Reports suggest former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has previously been linked with taking a stake in Liverpool, is considering a buy-out of Manchester City.
The 57-year-old was interested in purchasing a 30 per cent share in Liverpool in 2004, but has now turned his attention to a £92million takeover of City.
Thaksin's legal counsel, Noppadon Pattama, refused to confirm or deny the report but told Thai newspaper The Nation: "As soon as [Thaksin] finishes his vacation, I will ask him about it and hold a news conference."
Meanwhile, controversial midfielder Joey Barton has slammed some of the club's recent big-money signings.
City, who have flirted with relegation this term, but who now seem certain to secure a mid-table finish, have under-achieved, according to Barton.
He told the Manchester Evening News: "This club and its fans deserve to be at the highest level. But I have to be brutally honest, if I was a fan I wouldn't have paid to watch us at home this season.
"It's a lot of money to buy a season ticket at our place and they aren't getting value for money.
"There's no way Reading have spent more than us and no way Everton have either, but they seem to have over-achieved.
"Bolton have not spent big either. I know they paid a lot of money for Nicolas Anelka but we paid a lot for Georgios Samaras.
"You have to face facts. We have not brought quality in. One or two have done all right but not enough to take the team onto the next level.
"There has to be a plan. Everyone seems to have one in place, but at the moment it just feels like this club is praying to get the right players in the summer.
"We can't gamble on players who have scored six goals in six games in the Pontins League or in Belgium."