SoccerBlogs

For the club's trip to the States (and the announcement of NYC FC), 85 Man City-themed posters designed by Luke Barclay were just put up across Manhattan and Brooklyn. A few have already been found, but the real kicker in this is that tweeting posters that are found to @KICKTV is the ticket to two seats at Yankee Stadium for Man City-Chelsea this Saturday.

After years of very publicly planning and searching for a suitable ownership group to front a second MLS team in New York, the league has found it in a partnership between Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi and the New York Yankees. The new team will be called New York City FC and will begin play in 2015 as the league's 20th club.

By Chris Wright

"Oi mate, want to start a football club?"

Manchester City are joining forces with the New York Yankees to create a new MLS side, New York City Football Club, which they are hoping to have competing in the MLS by 2015 as the league's 20th franchise.

Major League Soccer has announced that Manchester City and New York Yankees have partnered together to launch New York City Football Club, MLS's 20th team that is expected to begin play in 2015.

Manchester City will be the majority owner of the new Club. As an investor, the Yankees will be an active member of the ownership group.

Robin Van Persie of Manchester United (Image via ABC.au)

The 2012-13 season is finally at an end for England's Premier League clubs. For Manchester United, it has ended in celebration and two of the club's greatest servants leaving on their own terms. Across town, it has ended in disappointment and dissent as Roberto Mancini's sacking has disappointed many fans and left some wondering whether the club is heading down the Chelsea route.

Manchester City "Soccer in the community" banner displayed in Staten Island NY (Image via MCFC Youtube Channel)

Manchester City may have just announced in New York yesterday that they are planning a massively adventurous business venture in partnership with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball to launch New York City Football Club, but there is more to the club's visit to the area than meets the eye.

Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud (Google Creative Commons)

Having already wrapped up the Premier League title, Manchester United capped off a wonderful campaign with an extraordinary 5-5 draw against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns. United twice led by a three-goal margin, but the home side – inspired by Romelu Lukaku's second-half hat-trick – managed to battle back each time.

Romelu Lukaku (Wikimedia Commons)

And so, even in the dying embers of its latest edition, the Premier League didn't fail in living up to expectations, signing off the 2012-13 season in incredible fashion.

The first 5-5 draw of its era, a nail-biting hunt for fourth spot between Tottenham and Arsenal and a handsome helping of 36 goals across 10 fixtures all made for a very entertaining finale to the Premier League campaign.

Wayne Rooney will not play in today's match against West Bromwich Albion, the final game of Sir Alex Ferguson's managerial career.

While Rooney was benched for last week's game against Swansea, today he has been excused from traveling with United because his wife is in labor. Colleen is due to give birth to their second child.

It's a Saturday night in the United States, which means we get to scour all of the British Sunday tabloids for Premier League news. And boy there are a lot of BS stories tonight!

First up isThe Sunday Peoplewho say that Manchester City have agreed a record £54 million transfer fee for Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao.

Manuel Pellegrini has announced he will leave his post at Malaga at the end of the season, paving the way for his likely move to Manchester City.

Speaking at an awards ceremony in Malaga, the 59-year-old said, "On Sunday, I will take charge of my last match at the Rosaleda. I would like to thank the owners of the club for putting their trust in me.

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri (Wikimedia Commons)

Manchester City midfielder claims to be feeling 'sad' as a result of the firing of former manager Roberto Mancini earlier this week, but knows things change.

Mancini was let go by the club this past Monday after City failed to claim the FA Cup against relatively underrated Wigan Athletic.

As part of the deal where the New York Yankees are part owner of the New York City Football Club with Manchester City, the Yankees could play a Major League Baseball game at City's Etihad Stadium, reportsThe Telegraph newspaper tonight.

Here's what Yankees President Randy Levine said today:

"The idea has come up through Major League Baseball about us maybe coming over to play.

Manchester City have officially unveiled their new home kit for the 2013-14 season.

City, who just bought a MLS franchise today to become the majority owner of New York City FC, today launched their new kit to coincide with their tour of the United States where they'll wear the new kit on Thursday in St.

Napoli's president has sent his sporting director to Manchester City to discuss a swap deal that would send Edin Dzeko to Napoli in return for Edinson Cavani heading to Manchester City.

Napoli's president told his sporting director, "'Go to City and take the chance to negotiate over Dzeko and see what they are willing to do for Cavani'.

Liverpool are understood to be lining up a move for Manchester City defender Kolo Toure, who is currently in New York City after arriving for the club's US post-season tour.

Manager Brendan Rodgers is looking for replacements to fill in the gap left by retired centre-back Jamie Carragher. Toure is out of contract at City this summer, and is unlikely to be offered a new deal, so it offers Liverpool a unique opportunity to step in for an experienced 32-year old defender who could provide cover for Liverpool at the back.

Manchester City have today announced a deal to acquire New York City FC with a partnership involving the New York Yankees. City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan successfully acquired the new franchise with Manchester City being the majority owner of the club.

What makes the deal so interesting is the partnership with the New York Yankees.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini (Google Creative Commons)

Roberto Mancini was fired at Manchester City a year after guiding them to the Premier League title due to the lack of success in the time since. Second spot in the league though without a trophy this year cost the Italian his job.

Whenever we're given the opportunity to disprove Manchester City's silly claim that the city is theirs, we gladly take it. For City's final game of the season today there were empty seats all over the place, despite the club claiming the game was a sell out.

By the time of the final whistle, when City players took part in the customary lap of honour, the ground was half empty, with the fans that did bother to show up passing up the opportunity to applaud their players for finishing 2nd.