Clear out planned

MARK Hughes is ready to wield the axe in a bid to break into the top six next season.

The City boss will radically overhaul his squad, with a number of star signings expected to arrive in the summer.

Up to 16 senior players will be heading out of Eastlands as with the Blues ready to again be one of Europe's major players when the transfer window opens, the club is keen to clear the decks.

Those departures, added to fresh funds provided by ambitious and committed owner Sheikh Mansour, will raise cash and free up wages for the Blues' top transfer targets.

City chief Hughes, who seems sure to keep hold of the managerial reins despite constant rumours to the contrary, has so far had only 24 hours plus the notoriously difficult January transfer window to spend Sheikh Mansour's millions on the men he wants to help the Blues gatecrash the `big four' dominance.

>>MEN.

This following on from yesterday's speculation with regards to potential arrivals, and the sooner normal service is resumed the better as international breaks really do leave you scratching around for news.

No real surprises on the list in the article and all appear surplus to requirements given the expected arrivals for next season. I'd imagine that most of the press focus as to who may be leaving the club over the summer though will focus entirely on a certain Brazilian.