Sport | Football
It's fantastic time, manager says
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes believes that the boost provided by the club's new owners coupled with the signing of striker Robinho will transform the team.
- Agencies
- Published: 23:15 September 2, 2008
Manchester: Manchester City manager Mark Hughes believes that the boost provided by the club's new owners coupled with the signing of striker Robinho will transform the team.
The capture of the Brazilian, on a four-year contract for a fee understood to be a British record £32 million ($57 million), was a major surprise as Chelsea had looked intent on signing the player from Real Madrid.
The Robinho transfer was made possible by the takeover of the club by the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment earlier Monday.
And Hughes believes the new cash injection available from the Abu Dhabi group will see the club elevated to a new level in world football, while the Robinho effect will have a positive influence on his players.
"He brings a breadth of quality into the squad," the City manager told Setanta Sports News.
"If you can add the quality of the likes of Robinho then immediately the whole team has a lift, a positive lift.
"That can help lift performances right through the squad. Irrespective of how we play him he'll have an impact."
"It's a fantastic time for everybody connected with Manchester City," said Hughes.
"It's just the start of the things we're trying to make happen."
The City manager added: "It's a huge statement of intent. A lot of credit has got to go to Dr Thaksin (Shinawatra, the club's current chairman and owner) for being able to bring the Abu Dhabi company to the table and this huge investment that is going to go forward.
"They wanted to present something to the people of Manchester and they have been able to do that.
"If we're going to get to the places we want to get to we are going to have to compete against outstanding teams.
"We have to attract world-class players and that is what we have done.
"He is an exceptional talent and opposition teams are going to fear him."
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