Bianchi set to pack his bags

Rolando Bianchi, the £9m Italian striker, has admitted he has no long-term future in English football after six troubled months at Manchester City. Bianchi vented his frustrations in an interview with La Gazetta dello Sport in which he was scathing about English food and described team-mates looking at him "as if I were an alien" when they found out he was teetotal.
Bianchi, whose potential availability has alerted a number of Italian clubs as well as Atletico Madrid, is the most expensive of Sven-Goran Eriksson's foreign recruits, but his erratic performances and complaints of feeling homesick have put him in danger of being remembered alongside Corradi Grabbi, Massimo Taibi and Andrea Silenzi among the least successful Italians to play in the Premier League.
Eriksson has already made moves to replace him by signing the Mexican international Nery Castillo on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk and, in a thinly veiled reference to Nicolas Anelka of Bolton, the City manager confirmed last night that he was making strenuous efforts to sign a leading foreign player from another English club.
That places a significant question over Bianchi's future, and the former Reggina forward already seems to have made up his mind that he will not be at the club any longer than the end of the season. "I hope to score at least 10 Premier League goals and I want to win a place in the Champions League," said Bianchi. "Then I'll pack my bags again and go in search of new adventures. I'd like to wear the shirt of Atletico Madrid and score 15 goals in the Primera Liga."
Bianchi went on to say he should return to Italy because playing abroad was not helping his chances of winning a place in the national team.
The 24-year-old, who has scored only four league goals since joining City in July, said he had found it difficult getting used to the food. "I have raised the white flag with English food. I don't like it. And I think I must be the only teetotal player in the Premier League. My team-mates were surprised when I refused a beer. They looked at me as if I were an alien."
He also has his doubts about English refereeing. "In Italy the referee whistles as soon as a defender brushes against you. In the Premier League you don't get a free-kick even if the defender runs you over with a tank."
Andreas Isaksson was on his way out of City last night after officials from the Turkish club Galatasaray visited Manchester to complete the £2m signing of the goalkeeper, who has recently lost his place to Joe Hart.
City take on Liverpool at Eastlands tomorrow and, with Michael Johnson missing, Eriksson is likely to turn to Dietmar Hamann in midfield. The former Germany international was rested for the 2-2 draw against Blackburn Rovers on Thursday but will be expected to nullify the threat from his former Anfield team-mates, and Steven Gerrard in particular.
Liverpool struggled to beat Derby County on Boxing Day and needed a late winner from Gerrard for a 2-1 victory but Eriksson expects a difficult match. "Of course it will be difficult, we know that. It can't be easy to beat Liverpool," he said.