I think whoever signs N’Zogbia will be very happy, he’s a top class winger who can score goals and also play at left back if needed. With Young gone and rumours of Downing jumping ship gathering pace, N’Zogbia would be a signing that would bring a little feelgood back to the Villa faithful after a summer of depressing downsizing.

If the reports that Downing is going to force his way out of Villa are true, than good riddance. He’s a very good player, but I don’t want a player who completely epitomises the greedy modern footballer of today who oaths are only worth the price at which there kept.  I just hope the board can stand there ground and hold out for a huge transfer fee. I mean if Henderson is worth 20million and Carroll 35million, than Downing is worth atleast 40 million.

Personally I don’t think Downing will leave, in Mcleish’s discussion with the fans he said he would only be let go for 50 million so we’ll see what happens, however if he does go N’Zogbia is good enough to replace him.

Rio Ferdinand has hit out at Mario Balotelli for taunting Manchester United fans after Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final win at Wembley.

There has been much speculation over what the Italian said to United midfielder Anderson after the final whistle with defender Rio Ferdinand having reacted furiously. Balotelli also incensed Ferdinand and his United team-mates after the final whistle by thrusting the badge on his shirt in the direction of opposition supporters.

Ferdinand, writing on his Twitter account this morning said, “If you score a goal and give a bit to opposing fans I kind of accept that but at the final whistle (you should) go to your own fans and enjoy it, not opposing fans.”

A bit like Gary Neville then Rio?

Balotelli also winked sarcastically at Ferdinand as the players left the field and the pair had to be separated by their team-mates.

Ferdinand added, “If I offended anyone, I apologise, emotions obviously running high.”

Roberto Mancini reacted to Mario Balotelli getting into a scuffle after Manchester City’s 1-0 win over rivals United by jokingly suggesting that his volatile striker be “put in jail”.

City’s assistant manager David Platt had to intervene along with other members of staff, but Mancini could only make light of the situation.

“We can put him in jail?” he joked, “Next week, we can put him in jail for this. I didn’t see it. I want to wait because every time, ‘It’s Balotelli’s fault’.”

“I’m very happy. I’m very happy for our supporters. They deserve to have a day like this afternoon,” Mancini said. We mustn’t forget we play another game. Today, we won only the semi-final.”

Mancini added, “It’s difficult to play against United. They’re used to playing this (type of) game every year. For us, it was the first time after a long time. Maybe we had some fear in the first 20-25 minutes. In the last 10, 15 minutes of the first half, we started to play high, we started to press. In the second half, we dominated the game. I am happy because we had fantastic spirit and we beat a team like Man United.”

Legend has it that on his first day as a United player, Patrice Evra asked Gary Neville for directions to the nearest church. Gaz was flumoxed; he racked his brain, trying to recall whether he had seen one around Carrington. He scraped the recesses of his memory for the location of the one he used to sing ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ in as a kiddy. Giving up, Gary asked why. Paddy simply smiled and said that he needed somewhere where he could “thank God for letting me join the biggest club in the world”.

These sorts of daft quotes and declarations of loyalty are often enough to endear a player to even the most cynical of fans. Paddy is better than that, he proves it on the pitch; anyone can talk the talk, but Evra not only walks the walk but swaggers up the line and chases down the line in equal measure.

He stradles the line between confidence and arrogance, like he does the left touchline at Old Trafford, before expertly executing a body-swerve beyond a defender, and skips over into arrogance before delivering a fan- appeasing quote of pure gold:

“United is a completely different world, they take care of the tiniest detail for you. To be honest, I’ll be the king of all c**ts if I can’t be a success under such conditions.”

But he does make a success of it.

Patrice arrived in Manchester along with Nemanja as the Glazers’ first signings. He had a nightmare, vomit inducing-debut against Citeh, and with cult hero Heinze playing well in his position seemed destined for the drawer marked “Djemba”.

As one of twenty-odd kids, you may have expected little Patrice to fade into the background and happily pick up his paycheck Winston Bogarde style. However, he worked hard, immersed himself into the club’s culture, tuned Gabi into a scouser-flirting Judas, and became a foundation of United’s most successful era. Plus, he has the added likeability of not being Ashley Cole.

Murmurs of discontent have been heard around Old Trafford this season with regard to Evra’s performances, but that’s like moaning about a pair of novelty lucky Y-fronts. They have been a game-changer at times when you had no right to score; they put up with little attention, and go for weeks festering under your bed; they bounce back stronger when they have been unexpectedly turned inside out; they have the modesty to deal with shit; and then, when they have the temerity to lose some elasticity, they get discarded for under-performing.

The guy had the worst experience at the World Cup possible; arrived back to Manchester late; has had to contend with four or five different players playing in front of him at various points of the season, and still gives you a seven out of ten performance every game, and I mean every game. Since his arrival at United he has played more often than any other player.

Patrice is still one of our best players, genuinely world-class, consistent, experienced and versed in the art of winning. Signing him up to a new contact is still a major boon, and well, the quotes are just a bonus.