West Ham Vs MCFC - Player's Lounge Saturday 11th Aug K.O. 6pm

The start of the season is almost upon us and this match between two of the Premier League's big summer spenders will see the first meeting of the Dubai Manchester City Supporters Club at the Player's Lounge bar in Bur Dubai's Chelsea Hotel.

The match kicks off at 6pm (Dubai time) and will be shown live on one of the bar's big screens. The Player's Lounge has also agreed to provide special offers on food and drink for all City fans attending this event.

City will be wearing their new, limited edition white and blue 3rd kit (as modelled above by Emile Mpenza) against West Ham and I look forward to seeing you all at City HQ from 5pm onwards to cheer on the boys.

• Please leave your name in the comment section below if you plan to watch this game at the Player's Lounge. This will help give us an idea of how many people to expect. Thanks

BBC Programme to Feature Thaksin Insight

BBC Five Live Sport will be featuring a programme entitled 'A Fit and Proper Premiership' at 9pm (UK time) tonight. It will take a look at the raft of foreign ownership that has come into the Premier League, and expect much of the programme to focus on our new owner, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Chiellini Wants City Move

Giorgio Chiellini’s agent has revealed that the Juventus defender is hoping to join Manchester City this week.

The former Azzurrini full-back was linked with Liverpool in recent weeks and seems set to leave the Serie B champions after stating that he felt neglected by the club.

Reports in Italy last week suggested that he had become a target for Manchester City, as Sven Goran Eriksson hoped to add the defender to the Italian contingent formed by Rolando Bianchi and Bernardo Corradi.

“I will soon meet Juventus to discuss Giorgio’s future,” said Davide Lippi. “We all hope that he will soon join Manchester City.

“The problem is that in transfer negotiations there always is a club who sells and one that buys, so I cannot possibly know how this will end.

“Chiellini would be thrilled to play in the Premier League with City, but everything depends on Juventus, on the final price and on their will to let him leave or not.”

Manuele Blasi has also been paired with an English move, as the Bianconeri are reducing their squad, but Lippi does not believe that Eriksson’s team will be his next destination.

“Will Blasi’s future be at City with Chiellini? I really don’t think so,” concluded the agent.