City ready to crack the States

MANCHESTER City believe they are in a perfect position to crack America after announcing they are to set up a new club in New York.

City will join baseball giants the New York Yankees in acquiring the rights to a new Major League Soccer franchise.

The new club - New York City FC - could play in City's traditional sky blue and will enter the competition in 2015.

The franchise deal is understood to have cost £66million, with millions more earmarked for a new stadium.

The deal will give City the chance to grow its name and revenue in America. Chief executive Ferran Soriano said: "A lot of top football clubs have been to the US: they come, play and leave. We want to be in the US as a permanent presence.”