Keegan targets three new arrivals

Frustrated Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan is targeting another three new faces – and they will not act as a replacement for Nicolas Anelka.

Anelka made his first appearance of City’s pre-season programme on the right hand side of midfield in the 4-1 win over Reading last night, amid speculation that Barcelona and Monaco were trying to lure him away from Eastlands.

With no cash to spend, Keegan knows the sale of his £13million record signing could offer him some much-needed funds ahead of the new campaign, although the former England coach has always insisted he wanted Anelka to stay.

However, Barcelona have distanced themselves from a move for Anelka, claiming the only striker they are interested in signing is Real Mallorca’s Cameroon international Samuel Eto’o.

And City are certainly not interested in the kind of loan deal Monaco are proposing, even if Anelka was attracted by a return home and a chance to play in the Champions League.

It means Keegan will have to make the most of a minuscule budget if he is to bring in the players he feels are required for City to re-establish themselves in the top half of the table.

Sunderland’s Julio Arca, about to start the final year of his contract on Wearside, has been touted as the man to fill Keegan’s left-sided vacancy, but with a replacement required for goalkeeper Geert de Vlieger – out for the season with a ruptured Achilles – and holes appearing elsewhere in his threadbare squad, the City boss is casting his net fairly wide.

Keegan told the club’s official website, www.mcfc.co.uk: “I have told the chairman we just don’t have enough players at this football club.

“We have asked a lot of a few players during pre-season because we don’t have enough people.

“I have been told I can get a couple of players in but there is no money to spend. That leaves me looking for really good players who can perform in the Premiership who are available on Bosmans.

“We need another goalkeeper, a centre-half and also a left-sided player. To get them in will not be easy.”

With David Sommeil out for six weeks, Sun Jihai on international duty with China and Richard Dunne and Danny Mills nursing slight knocks, Keegan was forced to play Shaun Wright-Phillips in the right-back berth at the Madejski Stadium.

Anelka played just in front of the England Under-21 man but was also able to drift inside at times, behind forward pairing Jon Macken and Robbie Fowler.

And, according to the French forward, it was an experience he thoroughly enjoyed.

“I used to play that way for Liverpool and Real Madrid and I liked it,” he said. “I actually prefer playing in a position behind the first two strikers, so I just have to adapt my play.

“I have missed a couple of games but I have no problem now and hopefully I will get some more matches before the start of the season.”