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Gareth Barry will be called traitor, greedy bugger, all of that will be thrown at moneybags City as he comes after so publicly insisting on a top four champs league side last year. We can only offer hopes of that in the future, and they seem pretty vague and forlorn at the moment.

Talk of £80,000 per week will incense Villa fans and the papers will be at our throats again, no doubt. We will do well to remember however, that Liverpool and Arsenal were still welcome to bid at any time, and though the asking price was originally £18m minimum, City have struck a more realistic deal, thought to be around £11m, for a naturally gifted, left-footed midfielder who can play left back, centre or wide left midfield, areas that have been identified as weaknesses in our team at present. An obvious choice, among others no doubt, but he was wanting a move and Hughes wanted him.

I can't wait to see him personally, though where that leaves Elano I'm not sure.

Reports about the ongoing Tevez saga continue to hold the headlines, some reporting he is meeting with David Gill tomorrow (Weds) some saying he is all but signed for United, some saying he has all but signed for us, who knows.

Perhaps Kia Joorabchian (blimey, I spelled that without looking it up, he must be a household name now) only knows the state of play, if Gill can't guarantee Tevez regular first team football, he may not sign, after which there would be a free-for-all to get his monicker quickly, he could end up anywhere. What manager can offer regular first team football now? It's a tricky area, for certain.

My money is on a statement coming out of OT tomorrow saying he has signed and is happy to play for them till his balls fester and drop off, and he never wanted to be anywhere else.