Joleon Lescott may consider January move from Manchester City

Posted Tuesday, December 18, 2012 by theguardian.com

Joleon Lescott may consider January move from Manchester City
Joleon Lescott has started only seven league games for Manchester City this season.

Manchester City's out-of-favour defender Joleon Lescott may consider a move in the January transfer window, and the Italy manager, Cesare Prandelli, believes Mario Balotelli would benefit from leaving the club to return to his homeland. Balotelli is having an uneven season, with the striker also taking City to a Premier League tribunal on Wednesday after City fined him two weeks' wages for ill-discipline that caused him to be suspended for a total of 11 games last season.

Although Roberto Mancini is vowing to stick by Balotelli despite the 22-year-old's decision to challenge the club's action, Prandelli told Rai Sport: "Mancini is absolutely right, Balotelli must listen to him, I agree with him. Everything depends on Mario, however. Coaches can try to stimulate and negotiate with you but everything must start from him. Returning to Italy could help him. It's important for him to have continuity; the city or the country is not the problem."

Whereas Balotelli is determined to stay beyond the winter transfer window, Lescott will assess his future if he does not force his way back into Mancini's first-team plans over the festive holiday programme.

Lescott is fourth-choice under Mancini – behind Vincent Kompany, Matija Nastasic and Kolo Touré – despite being a regular in the England squad, with the 30-year-old having started only seven league games this season. Touré is now Mancini's choice as a substitute in the match-day squad due to the Italian's preference for a right-sided central defender should Kompany or Nastasic be injured.

Although Lescott is determined to fight for his place he is keen to play and maintain his status as a regular member of Roy Hodgson's England squad and so is prepared to move should he feel the need to, with his former club Everton heading the list of potential suitors.

Lescott would be open to a return to Goodison Park, though with Toure's absence in January due his playing for the Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations, he may get an opportunity to prove himself.

Kompany, who missed Saturday's 3-1 win at Newcastle United because of a groin problem, could be available for the weekend's visit of Reading.

The City captain, who suffered the injury in the 3-2 derby defeat by Manchester United eight days ago, saw a specialist last week and is hopeful facing the Premier League's bottom club.