The non-availability of the Toure brothers over recent weeks has been a hot topic but a dilemma over when they will next appear in sky blue generates more copy this morning.

Kolo and Yaya will be involved in the African Cup of Nations until next Sunday, but as James Ducker points out in the Times (subscription required to read online), Roberto Mancini must weigh up when to get them back in his side. 

"The brothers are expected to be available for the first leg of City's Europa League round-of-32 tie away to Porto on Thursday week.

"But with the Ivory Coast pair not due to return until Sunday at the earliest, Mancini must decide whether he wants them to board the flight to Portugal a week on Wednesday or stay in Manchester to ensure they are not overburdened after a draining past month in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

"City face Porto in the return leg at the Etihad Stadium on February 22 before the visit of Blackburn Rovers three days later, with the Toures certain to feature in both of those games."

Mario Balotelli is also unavailable right now, for very different reasons, but he's never too far away from the headlines. There’s a double-dose of the enigmatic one in the Sun today; on the football front his agent is quoted on where Mario's future lies:

"MARIO BALOTELLI handed Manchester City a boost last night by hinting he plans to stay put for at least 18 more months.

"The controversial Italian has produced some outstanding form this season, scoring 12 goals to help his side top the Premier League.

"...Yesterday though the striker's agent Mino Raiola insisted: 'As far as Mario is concerned, we have a strategy for him to stay at Manchester City for three years — which we are respecting in full.

"'We hope that he will continue to play for them next season, even though you can never rule anything out.'"

Away from football, it seems Mario got on his bike at the weekend - riding a child's mini two-wheeler in a club according to the Sun's Bizarre column, and it's worth clicking the link to see the star in action.

"The Man City star took this kid's bike out for a spin on Sunday at a night called The Playground in Manchester bar Panacea, where adults "could indulge their inner child".

 

The ideal night out for Mario, alongside a trip to a soft play area.

...The Sun's Bizarre column on Mario Balotelli

The transfer window has closed, and according to the UAE's Sport 360 site our alleged interest in Roma's Daniele de Rossi has also ended with the midfielder inking in a new deal in the Italian capital.

"The 28-year-old midfielder ended months of speculation about his future by putting pen to paper on a deal which will see him remain with the Eternal City outfit until July 2017. “What drives me to stay here,  to do my job with so much passion is this team, this city and its  people,” De Rossi said. “What I  desire is here.”

"The Italy international had been strongly linked with a move to the English Premier League, with Manchester City and Manchester United both reportedly keen to sign him while Real Madrid have been long-time admirers of the tough-tackling midfielder."