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Robinho joins Manchester City
LONDON (AFP) - Manchester City signed Brazil striker Robinho from Real Madrid for a fee of around 42 million euros (61.6 million dollars), the English Premier League club confirmed on Tuesday.
Robinho agreed a four-year contract with Mark Hughes's side shortly before the close of the transfer window.
The 24-year-old had repeatedly said he wanted to join Chelsea but Real's president Ramon Calderon told news radio Cadena Ser that the English club only offered 30 million euros for the player.
City took advantage of the stalemate to make a shock move on the same day that United Arab Emirates-based investment group, Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment (ADUG), agreed to buy the club.
"Manchester City have made a dramatic late deadline-day swoop for Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Robinho," a statement on City's website confirmed.
Hughes believes the signing underlines City's determination to become a major force in the Premier League.
"I am absolutely delighted to get the opportunity to work with such an incredible talent like Robinho," Hughes said. "I have said that in order to compete with the best teams in the Premier League we have to be in the market for players of this calibre, and Robinho is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world.
"I am really looking forward to introducing him to the rest of the squad, and to the City fans at the earliest opportunity. This is a real statement of intent as to the ambitions of Manchester City Football Club."
Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Monday that he believed Manchester City will become a major force as a result of his decision to sell the club to ADUG.
Unlike Chelsea, Manchester City is not taking part in the European Champions League.
Robinho said Sunday that his "head was at Chelsea" at a press conference where he once again asked to be allowed to join the English side which is coached by Brazil's Luiz Felipe Scolari.
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