Mancini ready to use Brazilian as bait to bring Kolo’s brother to Eastlands.
Join Bet365 and get upto £200 free plus money back on World Cup bets!
Join CaughtOffside’s World Cup 2010 Fantasy Football League and win £5k!
Robinho not interested in returning to Manchester City
• Robinho thinks Roberto Mancini has ‘a lack of ability’
• Manchester City’s Brazilian keen on BarcelonaRobinho’s representatives are to fly into England next week to inform Manchester City that the Brazil forward has no intention of returning to the Premier League next season.
The most expensive player in the history of the English game, signed from Real Madrid for £32.5m in September 2008, has been on loan at Santos after becoming disillusioned with life in Manchester and arguing with City’s manager, Roberto Mancini, someone he has since described as managing with “a lack of ability”.
The official line from City is that they want him to return on 4 August when his loan expires but, behind the scenes, there is a growing acceptance that the man who was supposed to symbolise the club’s brave new world under the billionaire ownership of the Abu Dhabi United Group has no place in their future plans.
“We have a meeting with City on 16 June,” Evandro de Souza, one of the player’s advisers, said today. “I will travel to Manchester with Gilvan de Souza [Robinho's father] and we will look at the situation. We know that City are looking for a club for Robinho.”
He added: “The relationship between Robinho and the board at Manchester City is very good, although it’s true that there are some problems with the coach.”
Barcelona spoke extensively to Robinho’s camp last season and the Brazil international, currently with Dunga’s squad preparing for the World Cup, hopes the Spanish champions resurrect that interest. “Any footballer in the world would love to play for Barça,” De Souza said.
One possibility is that Robinho could be offered in a player swap for Yaya Touré, whom City have coveted since Mark Hughes was manager. However, City believe Barcelona would rather use Touré in a possible player-plus-cash exchange with Arsenal for Cesc Fábregas. (Telegraph)
Well this could actually work out in everyones best interest. Roberto Mancini doesn’t appear to rate Robinho and the Brazilian international doesn’t appear to have much time for the Italian in return. If Pepe Guardiola is indeed interested in the former Real Madrid man then a deal to bring Yaya Toure to join his brother at Eastlands may just come to fruition.
It helps Robinho’s case that he has been in fine form for his country in recent weeks and has done well on loan at his former club Santos. There is no denying the 26 year old still has a great deal to offer and could well come out of the World Cup with a new lease of life, however would he manage to get himself a regular spot in the Nou Camp first team?
Yaya Toure’s agent has claimed that a move to the Premier League is very likely and he may find the temptation to join Manchester City too much to turn down. No doubt he would get a big fat pay check and more importantly could well be a first team regular, something he is unable to secure at Barcelona.
Related Posts:
AC Milan Unveil New Signing Robinho (Video)
Live Scores
