Micah Richards is ready to quit Manchester City
in January in a bid to put his once-promising career back on
track. And if the defender does leave in the next window, City
manager Mark Hughes will move for Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm as a
replacement.
Richards, rated at £15million, has become disillusioned
with life at Eastlands after a series of run-ins with Hughes and
the coaching staff.
Despite the huge Abu Dhabi backed revolution in full
swing at City, Richards is disenchanted with the direction of his
game and has told close pals a move away from the Blues could
re-ignite a career which two years ago saw him earmarked for
greatness with club and country.
But since then the muscular 21-year-old defender has
lost his way. The form which catapulted him into the England side
as a teenager has evaporated spectacularly and as things stand he
has no chance of going to the World Cup in South Africa next
summer.
England boss Fabio Capello has serious reservations
about Richards' tactical and positional play and although he has
speed, strength and athleticism the Italian coach believes Glen
Johnson and Wes Brown represent a far better bet at right back as
main choices.
Torrid That has left Richards in the cold on the
international front and although he has been a regular for Stuart
Pearce's under-21 outfit, I understand Capello won't consider the
youngster until his game intelligence improves
dramatically.
Richards' poor form was highlighted in the recent
Manchester derby when 35-yearold Ryan Giggs gave him a torrid time
and the City defender was ball watching and out of position when
Michael Owen scored the dramatic stoppage-time winner for
United.
Harsh words were exchanged after that game and Richards
has now reached the conclusion that a move in January could be the
best way forward.
I understand Richards has even identified which clubs
he would be prepared to join - with Aston Villa certain to lead the
chase if Hughes sanctions his departure in January.
Martin O'Neill is a longstanding admirer of Richards
and would jump at the chance to pair him up again with Richard
Dunne who signed from City in a £6million deadline-day
deal.
In the past United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all
shown an interest in the youngster - but that was when he was
performing well and rated in the £20million plus bracket.
Then, City would never have sold their prized youngster
but now the dynamic at Eastlands has shifted - and the value of
Richards has dropped along with his performance level.
The club want only the best and Hughes will again be
handed hefty funds in the January window to add the extra pieces to
his jigsaw.
For the first time there is a willingness from the club
to trade Richards at the right price enabling Hughes to make a
major play for 25-year-old German international Lahm.
