McCall 'enters Blades talks'

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano says the club are 'just looking for the next cycle' following the recent sacking of Roberto Mancini.

City dismissed Mancini last week after failing to win a trophy this season, despite the Italian lifting the FA Cup in 2011 and the Premier League title 12 months ago.

Manuel Pellegrini is the odds-on favourite to take charge at the Etihad Stadium after confirming he will be leaving Malaga, and Soriano believes it is time for a 'new era' at City.

When asked what Mancini did wrong, Soriano told CNN: "He did very good things for the club. He stayed there for three years, which is a lot of time. He brought the club to a winning club.

"Now we are just looking for the next step, the next cycle.

"We have a fantastic squad. We want to play better football and we want to continue winning.

"It is not that Mancini did anything wrong. We are just in another cycle, in another era."

In their statement that announced Mancini's departure, City referred to the need to develop a "holistic approach" to all aspects of football at the club.

It had previously been rumoured City wanted to introduce a fluid 4-3-3 style of play to all their sides, from junior level up to first team.

When asked about that matter, Soriano said: "We are looking to play very good football, very beautiful football. When we are playing good football, then we will win.

"So it is not only about winning, it is developing football that is attractive and it will be played by our main teams, our first team in Manchester, our young teams in Manchester and also our teams in New York.

"We want to share the same football concepts across all our teams."

Motherwell on Tuesday confirmed the League One side had made an official approach to speak to McCall.

The 48-year-old recently signed a new two-year contract and has consistently declared his satisfaction with working at Fir Park, turning down initial approaches from the likes of Burnley and Blackburn last season.

But Sheffield United are a club close to Leeds-born McCall's heart given his five years at Bramall Lane as player and coach and he is keen to talk to the Blades.

The Motherwell boss had been due back from a club trip to Benidorm on Thursday.

Motherwell are working to persuade McCall to stay but chief executive Leeann Dempster last week stated the club would not stand in his way if he wanted to move on.

MK Dons manager Karl Robinson and former Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate have also been linked with the Blades job but McCall appears to be the number-one choice.

Former captain Chris Morgan took charge at United on a caretaker basis after Danny Wilson lost his job in April but United lost out to eventual play-off winners Yeovil in the semi-finals.

Speaking last week, McCall said: "There's not a part of me desperate to go. I'm not seeking out avenues to get away.

"If this is all speculation and nothing happens, then that's fine. I've not got a deep desire to leave this club because I'm having a great time here."

McCall has led Motherwell to the Scottish Cup final, Champions League qualifiers and a third and second-placed finish in the SPL in his two-and-a-half years at Fir Park.

But the former Scotland midfielder faces a rebuilding task ahead of their latest European campaign with goalkeeper Darren Randolph having signed for Birmingham and former Sheffield United midfielder Nicky Law deciding to move on.

Top goalscorer Michael Higdon is mulling over a new contract offer along with James McFadden, Tom Hateley and Chris Humphrey.

McCall made his first summer signing on Monday when Ross County midfielder Paul Lawson agreed a two-year deal.