Pep’s ready to unleash Jesus
MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola wants to provide his club with a boost by naming new Brazilian Gabriel Jesus in his squad for Saturday’s clash with Tottenham.
There could also be a recall for Vincent Kompany as Guardiola looks to hit back from the 4-0 loss to Everton last Sunday. The paperwork for the £27million transfer of striker Jesus, above, should be completed today after delays at the FA’s end. He will likely be on the bench at the Etihad.
Defender Kompany was ruled fit, after two months out with a knee injury, last weekend only to be left out of the squad – a move that backfired. City’s skipper is more likely to be involved this Saturday after Guardiola has seen the injuryplagued veteran get another week’s training under his belt. With Kompany having been injured 35 times during his City career, Guardiola has stressed the need to reintroduce him into first-team affairs slowly in an attempt to avoid further breakdowns. A TAD over 25 miles from Chelsea’s swanky training complex in leafy Cobham where Diego Costa has been training with whichever squad suits Antonio Conte’s mood, you will find a professional footballer who spent the past four months of 2016 training and playing for free.
Crawley Town’s Dean Cox is no international superstar tempted by Chinese millions. Yet in Sky Bet League Two terms, the 29-year-old is a prize asset, a dynamic winger known for his skill and honesty.
Because of circumstances and the dubious ethics of previous club Leyton Orient, Cox graced the Ryman League Premier Division – three divisions below – for three months before Christmas, playing for free for Burgess Hill Town.
Oh, and during the week, he trained without pay for Crawley, who had offered him a contract from January 1.
“I needed games to keep up my match fitness,” said Cox. “I had offers to play for clubs higher than Burgess Hill – and for money – but it wasn’t about that.
“For me, it was more about repaying what Burgess Hill had helped me with when I was 16 and went there on a three-month loan from Brighton.
“I wanted to go back and thank them really, try to score some goals and help them win.”
Cox’s story is convoluted, yet at its heart is the simple tale of a footballer who loves the game so much that he will play for nothing. He began this season just as he had the