There was a time when you could always rely on the Sunday papers for something trivial and so over the top it raises a smile, so well done the Star for a proper old-school tale.

Headlined "Players to sing Blues", it reveals that the new boys at City such as Yaya Toure and yesterday's signing Aleksandar Kolarov will have to stand up and croon a tune for the rest of the team.

Or, as the never-knowingly-understated Star puts it, they must undergo "a nerve-wracking ordeal" for "Blue Tunes" in front of a daunting panel of three judges - for Simon Cowell, read Les Chapman.

City's summer signings have played in European finals and vital internationals along the route to the Blues, but the Star assures us World Cup winner David Silva & Co will be quivering in their boots.

Well, a "club source" does anyway: "It is set to be a battle to see who has got the most bottle to stand up in front of their new team-mates and perform.

"It is utterly terrifying for some of the players who have never heard of X Factor, let alone sung in front of an audience. There's no way any of them will be allowed to duck out."

Such a shame they don't have karaoke anywhere else but England, or the new lads would be able to treat it as the bit of light-hearted bonding fun that it's obviously going to be.

Elsewhere, respected People writer Steve Bates takes a look at the pending scrap for the goalkeeper's jersey between the holder, Shay Given, and young contender Joe Hart.

Shay tells Batesy in a spread that also mentions the new Spanish Harlem pitch: "Joe is eager to establish himself for City and England, but I still have the hunger as well."

Transfer gossip abounds, as ever. Some of it you've heard before ... Harry Redknapp ... Craig Bellamy ... expected to move ... done deal ... Edin Dzeko ... James Milner ...

Hang on. James Milner ... Harry Redknapp! It couldn't be, could it? Oh yes, claims the News of the World, Tottenham's boss is ready to "hijack" Milner's mooted move from Aston Villa.

Just goes to show, a deal is never done until the new boy sings for his team-mates ...