Manchester City release Owen Hargreaves

This news will surely lift the moods of a few United fans. The former Reds player Owen Hargreaves, who after being snapped up by rivals Manchester City on a free transfer last season, had nothing but foul words for United has been released by City after just one season.

Hargreaves managed just 13 minutes of Premier League action for City. He featured for City four times in total with only one league appearance – as a 77th-minute substitute against Aston Villa in October and has not played senior football since the 3-2 FA Cup defeat by United in January. Hargreaves suffered a series of niggling injuries after joining City, including a calf problem in October.

The other notable player released by City is former Barcelona midfielder Gai Assulin, who signed for the Etihad club in December 2010. Assulin, 21, signed for City in December 2010 but failed impress manager Roberto Mancini. He spent the final two months of the season on loan at Brighton, where he made two starts and five substitute appearances.

Other players leaving City are midfielder Ahmed Benali and Sean Tse. From the Academy, scholars Paul Clowes, Luke Coulson, Tom Halsall and George King have also been released.

In a statement on their official website, City said:

“We thank all our departing players for their services to the club and we wish them the best of luck for the future.”