Man City keen to keep Robinho as exit speculation grows

January 25, 2010

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has said he would like to keep forward Robinho at Eastlands, despite reports the Brazilian is set to quit the club.

The 26-year-old has been quoted as telling Brazilian radio he is set to return home, with a loan move to his former club Santos one possibility.

Robinho scored in City’s 4-2 FA Cup win at Scunthorpe on Sunday and Mancini stated: “I hope he will stay here.

“In the next day the situation can change but at the moment he stays.”

Reports that Robinho had told Brazilian radio of his imminent Eastlands exit emerged before City’s pulsating victory in the fourth round of the Cup at Glanford Park.

He admitted that he had not been playing well for the Premier League’s big spenders but complained that new coach Mancini had not been playing him regularly enough.

“The coach was very sincere with me and said that I would play every other match,” he was quoted as saying. “I told him that would not be interesting to me, it’s a World Cup year.

“It would be exceptional to return to [former club] Santos [in Brazil]. To play at Santos would help me on the way to the World Cup. It is my home, I know everybody.

“It’s what they [the Manchester City directors] say. The entire board felt that it is better to loan me out.”

The president of Santos, Luiz Alvaro de Oliviera Riberio, told the same radio station that his club was already in talks with City directors and would meet with them in London on Tuesday and that he was already sounding out sponsors who might help to pay for the Brazilian’s salary if he returns.

“We are already working on that,” added Ribeiro. “I’m sure Robinho’s name will attract a lot of attention.”

Despite all the speculation, Robinho started Sunday’s match at Glanford Park, scoring the fourth goal before being substituted to a chorus of cheers from the away fans five minutes from time.

Mancini commented: “Hopefully in the end Robinho will stay here but it is important he will stay here, be happy and enjoy it. He is a very good player. I think he is enjoying Manchester.

“I think one player can stay in a squad only if he is happy - if he wants to play every game and if he wants to work every day.

“That is most important because the players and manager must be happy.

“I have five or six strikers and I must decide every game between them. It’s impossible to play with four strikers.”

The 25-year-old arrived at City in a record £32.4m deal on transfer deadline day in August 2008.

But he has disappointed since his arrival and has started only eight games in all competitions this campaign, prompting links with a move to Barcelona.

Man City keen to keep Robinho as exit speculation grows

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