MANCHESTER CITY SET TO UNVEIL ERIKSSON SWEDE BIDS TO REBUILD REPUTATION
SVEN Goran Eriksson will fly into London today to finalise his move to become Manchester City's new manager.
A year after he quit as England boss, Eriksson is expected to inform new City owner Thaksin Shinawatra of his decision to accept a three-year deal worth £7.5million.
Eriksson, 59, who has not worked since leaving the England post in the wake of last summer's failed World Cup campaign, spent the weekend mulling over the offer and has decided the time is right for him to return to football.
After a week of negotiation with representatives of Shinawatra and City, Eriksson is ready to accept a £2.5m-ayear contract, which could rise to £3m a year with bonus payments.
Sources close to Eriksson claim the Swede is determined to restore his reputation, which was damaged in the wake of his unsuccessful five-and-a-half year spell with England, and prove his critics wrong by leading City out of the doldrums.
Eriksson, whose last club job was with Lazio six and a half years ago, will be handed a transfer budget of around £50m to rebuild City's threadbare squad and will immediately begin the task of recruiting at least six new players.
Among his targets are West Ham striker Marlon Harewood and his skipper Nigel Reo-Coker, Arsenal's Freddie Ljungberg, Liverpool's Craig Bellamy and Newcastle's Michael Owen, although the England star is understood to want to move to a club offering Champions League football. Keith Harris, the football finance expert who approached Eriksson about the City job on behalf of Shinawatra, claimed the Swede's appointment was imminent.
Harris told Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek: "The important thing is Eriksson is highly respected by England's players.
"They all hold him in high regard. Manchester City's academy has been successful in bringing through young England players, so it would knit well in that respect.
"City want to attract a high-quality manager who can in turn attract high-quality players."
Despite Eriksson's expected unveiling today, City have kept open talks with Sevilla boss Juande Ramos and Blackburn's Mark Hughes in case the Swede has a late change of heart.
Harris added: "The good news is the alternatives have not been in the gush of publicity and there are talks going on with those others as well.
"But the important thing is a good-quality manager is chosen and that a manager who wants the job takes it in the next couple of days."
Although Shinawatra has had more than £1billion of his assets frozen by the Thai government through an investigation into his alleged corruption, Harris insisted the move posed no threat to his takeover of City.
"A number of his bank accounts have been frozen," said Harris. "But the money to buy City is clean. It has been legitimately transferred to the UK."
But Thai finance minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn said: "The money used for Manchester City is still a mystery to Thailand.
"When he was prime minister he was required to declare all his assets and he did not declare any foreign assets."
SVEN HOT ON HARE
SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON is set to stun Manchester City fans by making West Ham's Marlon Harewood one of his first signings.
Eriksson will be appointed within the next 24 hours following the takeover of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra last Thursday.
The former England coach will be given a £50million transfer kitty to re-establish City as one of the giants of the domestic game and take on neighbours Manchester United.
But City fans, who have been expecting a swoop for Barcelona's Javier Saviola or even a late move for Charlton's Darren Bent, will be amazed at the interest in Harewood who, despite his honest endeavours for the Hammers last season, scored only four goals.
City were among the lowest scorers in the Premiership, with their shot-shy forward line ending up earning boss Stuart Pearce the sack.
Mirror Sport understands Eriksson is a huge admirer of the Harewood, 27, and even considered taking the muscular star, who can also play on the wing, to the World Cup as a squad player last year before he was injured.
Eriksson sees Harewood as an Emile Heskey clone and a move could spark speculation the Swede will move for Newcastle's Michael Owen to reestablish a classic little and large partnership.
Birmingham, Fulham, Aston Villa and Portsmouth are also keen on Harewood.
