Despite having been allocated squad number 25, striker Craig Bellamy has no intention of leaving Manchester City to return to Parkhead this summer, according to reports. Ever since he ended his loan with Celtic to return to Newcastle, Bellamy has been the subject of rumours that he would be either signed on a loan or permanent deal. City and Celtic were thought to be in negotiations over a potential move, with manager Neil Lennon having confirmed his interest in the frontman.
However, Bellamy, who has a year to run on his City contract, has made it clear he has no interest in heading back to play in the SPL. The Welshman had also been linked with a loan move to Cardiff this summer, where he spent last season. But he has previously ruled out signing for any club on loan, stating his intention to see out his contract at the Etihad Stadium should a full-time deal fail to materialise.
Bellamy's wages (said to be in the region of £90,000 a week) are likely to prove a stumbling block in any potential permanent deal, but it appears unlikely that Mancini will be able to find a place for him in his star-studded side this season. Striker Sergio Aguero has recently arrived from Atletico Madrid as the natural replacement for Carlos Tevez, who is expected to leave this summer, while Mancini also has Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli and Emmanuel Adebayor at his disposal. The manager left Bellamy at home for City's pre-season trips to the USA and Canada and Ireland this summer, suggesting the former Blackburn and Liverpool man will not figure in his first-team plans.