The Club's working partnership arrangement with Belgian Club RRFCM has now come to an end.

The partnership arrangement, which was set up last year, was intended to provide City with the opportunity of signing young up and coming players identified through RRFCM's international scouting network and youth academy scheme.

However, the arrangement has not worked out as well as planned.

In a statement released yesterday, RRFCM suggested that the decision to bring the partnership to an end came about as a result of City withholding various youth sponsorship payments due to RRFCM.

We would like to make it clear that whilst various payments were withheld, City had valid grounds to take this step in light of a number of issues which had arisen and that although RRFCM were invited to meet with the club's directors on a number of occasions in order to discuss these issues they declined the opportunity to do so.

The decision to end the partnership (allowing both parties to explore other opportunities) is therefore in everyone's best interests and we wish RRFCM the very best for the future.