Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has joined Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in their criticism of the Juan Mata transfer to Manchester United.
Pellegrini was asked about Mata’s Chelsea to Manchester United move in today’s City press conference. Here’s what he said regarding the matter:
‘United are getting a very good player, but personally I do not agree that a transfer like this can happen in the middle of the season. I do not think a player should be allowed to go from one club to another in the same league in January.
‘It is not correct at this stage of the season. Maybe Arsene Wenger had a correct reason, when he pointed out Chelsea have already played United home and away, but my argument is a more general one.
‘I just feel that if a player has made more than five or six appearances for his club, then he cannot join another one in the same league at the midway point. I just think if a player plays for a club for more than half of the season, a club with money can take the best players from the other teams.
‘The rules are the rules, so you play by them, but I just think they should change. I am not saying scrap the January window, just change it.”
Here are today’s world soccer news headlines:
Premier League
- Manuel Pellegrini criticizes Chelsea for sale of Juan Mata to Manchester United — The Mail
- Cardiff City sign Norway forward Jo Inge Berget — BBC Sport
- Juan Mata grows increasingly frustrated with Chelsea for stalling transfer to Manchester United — Telegraph
- Liverpool boss Rodgers reveals he has not given up hope of signing Salah — talkSport
- Manchester United eye Fredy Guarin transfer after agreeing Juan Mata deal — Metro
- Manuel Pellegrini plays down fears on Man City top scorer Alvaro Negredo — Sky Sports
- Chelsea and Arsenal target Hulk flies to London alerting Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs fans — Soccerlens
- Review of Pro Set football card collection 1990/91 — The Football Attic
- Comcast to trot out new tech features for Sochi Games; a sign of things to come for EPL? — Multichannel News
- Crystal Palace in talks with Momo Sissoko — Sky Sports
- Gus Poyet confirms Modibo Diakite and Valentin Roberge could be on their way out of Sunderland — Newcastle Chronicle
- West Ham fail with last minute move for Michael Essien as AC Milan loan draws closer — The Independent
- Ustari and Vergini in line for their debuts as Sunderland face Kidderminster in the FA Cup — Newcastle Chronicle
- Eligible for US, the next chapter for Arsenal wunderkind could begin tonight in FA Cup — Pro Soccer Talk
International soccer
- World Cup 2014: loss of Radamel Falcao to injury a huge, but not crippling loss for Colombia — Telegraph
- USSF budget details surface — Washington Post
- Euro 2016: England avoid Spain, Germany, Italy & Holland after being confirmed among qualifying seeds — Independent
La Liga
- Rosell quits Barcelona presidency as pressure reaches boiling point — Inside World Football
MLS
- Sporting Kansas City spurns Juventus bid for defender Erik Palmer-Brown — Sports Illustrated
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