Man City Owner Sheikh Mansour and Chair Khaldoon Al Mubarak "have splashed out on an original L.S. Lowry painting as a parting gift" for outgoing Manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Khaldoon presented the work of art to the Pellegrini before the game. Nobody at the club would reveal which painting they bought, but Lowrys can cost anything between £4,000-£5.6M ($5,800-$8.1M).
The gift is a fitting one as Lowry, famous for his Northern landscapes, was a Man City fan, and one of his most famous works was “Going to the Match.” (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 5/9).
FRANCHISE BRIEFS ...
Italian F1 team Toro Rosso "could become the first customer" of Honda's engines.
That is the claim of the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, which said rumors of the Red Bull-owned team's "interest actually date back to 2015."
But it is believed McLaren Chair Ron Dennis "still intends to fiercely defend an apparent clause in his works contract with the Japanese manufacturer that guarantees exclusivity for McLaren" (GMM, 5/9).
The Blackpool board has "accepted responsibility for the club's relegation to League Two and promised a review into how the club is run."
Manager Neil McDonald "is unsure if he will be in charge of the club next season." A club statement said,
"An urgent board meeting has been called to discuss the club's future and implement plans to halt further decline." A number of supporters "have demonstrated against the way" Chair Karl Oyston and his father Owen, who is Blackpool's owner, "have run the club in recent seasons" (BBC, 5/9).
The future of EPL Swansea City head coach Francesco Guidolin "will be discussed" at a board meeting on Wednesday.
Guidolin "was a surprise appointment" as head coach in January but has guided the Swans to Premier League safety. The 60-year-old Italian "wants to stay," and Chair Huw Jenkins confirmed the matter will be on the agenda (BBC, 5/9).
