The joy of selective quoting. City Chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak is quoted on the official club website as saying that the club will look for another "four to six" players in addition to Gareth Barry. So just about every headline you read this morning talks about how City are bringing in six more signings and in some cases this is six more big signings. Er... No.

I make a habit of blasting the print press, mainly because they're silly and their coverage would have old time journalists turning in their graves. Occasionally however you get a good little interview. Such is the case with Derick Allsop in the Independent this Sunday as he talks to Mark Hughes.

All rumour no substance at the moment which is true for most teams. City just happened to get things off with a bang with Barry, but the lack of announced deals feels unusual even if I don't have specific data to back up said observation. The general consensus seems to be that Joe Hart is off to Birmingham on a year loan.

I have to say that I am stunned, utterly delighted, but stunned by the signing of Gareth Barry. For reasons that I'll go into below the England international was the number one player I would have picked for City to sign.

The silly season has officially kicked off and while players can't move yet that is not the case when it comes to Managers. Stray thought, would be fascinating if Managers were restricted in movement the same way players were...

The Daily Fail is at it again. Once more City are being linked with Kaka and other world superstars. Enough already. Stupid papers with stupid rumours showing exactly why it's a failing business. We all know the script. City get linked to a hundred players in the off season, sign a number of quality players that are appropriate to our squad needs and then the club gets ripped in the press for not signing the superstars even though we are "the richest club in the world."

The Club has released an official statement saying that despite press reports today City have not placed a bid for Lionel Messi. Bit of a slippery slope in that once you start denying one transfer rumour if you don't deny all of them then the press will see this as confirmation that there must be some substance to the rumour.

That being said, I'm not sure the club could have done anything else as the constant harping by the rag supporting press leaves the impression that City have approached dozens of players all of whom have turned down City.

The club has confirmed that this year's pre season trip will be to South Africa. I must admit to being disappointed in this choice. There remains a tremendous opportunity in the North American market where no one club has achieved any kind of serious penetration.