Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini says he’s confident the club will act quickly in the transfer market to make up for a disappointing season.
Manchester United’s English Premier League title win was confirmed with their 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on Monday and they lead City by 16 points going into the weekend.
Mancini’s side have an FA Cup final against Wigan ahead of them, but in the league they have made an underwhelming defence of last season’s title.
The Italian manager has frequently aired his anger at the club failing to sign the players he wanted after winning the league last season.
Mancini is sure those errors won’t be repeated.
“You should move very quickly. We didn’t do this last year. We moved so slowly. We lost the players that were our targets to improve our team,” he said.
“It is important to build your team from the basement, when you start in the market you need to buy important players that can help you.
“They deserve to win this title because they won a lot of games in a row. The crucial moment was when we played QPR, Liverpool, Southampton.
“That moment we had big problems with our players injured. We lost key points. United have more attitude than us, as a club, as a team.”
Although Mancini is keen to start his transfer business quickly, he insists now is not the time to discuss whether Carlos Tevez or Gareth Barry, who each have a year left on their contracts, will be getting new deals.
But he confirmed that Kolo Toure will be leaving the Etihad Stadium this month.
“It is important for every player to have the chance to play. Kolo is at the end of his contract, if he has the chance to go to play and we can help him.
“He is a good guy, a serious professional player and fantastic man. If we can help him we are happy.”
Mancini is hoping to have several players available again for Saturday’s match against West Ham.
Spanish forward David Silva is set to return from a hamstring problem that has kept him out since the 2-1 win at Manchester United on April 8.
Sergio Aguero is also fit again and James Milner is set to return from a hamstring injury of his own.
Mancini could also include Jack Rodwell after yet another hamstring problem.
But defender Micah Richards, who returned after seven months out with an ankle injury in the 1-0 win over Wigan earlier this month, is set for a spell with the reserves to improve his fitness.
Mancini meanwhile believes that Luis Suarez’s 10-match ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic is too severe.
The City manager feels that such offences, along with bad tackles and other incidents of serious foul play should receive four to six-game suspensions and he thinks that Liverpool’s Suarez has been harshly dealt with.
He said: “If you want my opinion, this is strange.
“Ten games I think is too much. I think that five, six games was enough.”