City release crocked Hargreaves

Manchester City have decided against offering crocked midfielder Owen Hargreaves another contract at the Etihad Stadium.

City manager Roberto Mancini signed Hargreaves on a one-year deal last summer after rivals Manchester United released him after four injury-ravaged years at Old Trafford.

The former England midfielder only managed 13 minutes of Premier League football this season, but got two starts in the Carling Cup and scored a spectacular goal against Birmingham City.

Hargreaves had been considering retirement after United did not offer him a contract due to just 18 Premier League starts for them since his arrival form Bayern Munich in 2007.

The 31-year-old has been plagued by injury for a number of years now and he even released a series of YouTube videos in an attempt to prove to people he was fit again.

It isn’t known if the fitness showcase was a factor in City deciding to offer him a deal, but his time there was affected by a number of niggling problems and the last time he played competitively was in the FA Cup third round loss to United.