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When Robinho signed for Manchester City in the summer, Gossip Shop was not alone in hoping the mercurial Brazilian would set the Premier League alight.

Such was the former Real Madrid ace's reputation at the time, City stumped up a massive £32.5 million for his services, the thinking being that he would spearhead City's campaign to qualify for the Champions League and emerge from the shadows of neighbours Manchester United.

Nearly nine months later, despite some sporadic flashes of brilliance early on in his City career, Robinho has failed to do so. Indeed, he has contributed little to the Blues' season since the turn of the year, and has failed to find the net at all in 2009.

Not only that, but his (alleged) rapidly deteriorating relationship with some of his fellow team-mates has reportedly split the dressing room and is in real danger of doing more lasting damage to the Eastlands dressing room.

The Sun claims that an increasing number of City players are becoming riled by Robinho's attitude, both in training and on the pitch. Several players have already voiced their concerns and while Mark Hughes refuses to criticise his record signing in public, City fear the situation is on the verge of spilling over.

And that can only mean one thing - a quick sale in the summer.

Elano, Robinho's compatriot and chief dressing room ally, could also be on his way out after displaying en equally infuriating lack of consistency on the pitch and a similar disregard for club dress code off it.

City are thought to be willing to listen to offers for the pair, should they arrive.

Another forward whose career at a new club started with promise, only to fizzle out spectacularly is that of Colin Kazim-Richards .

The Leytonstone-born former Bury, Brighton and Sheffield United misfit, who miraculously reinvented himself as a world class striker at Fenerbahce, has fallen out of favour in Istanbul and is desperate for a return to England.

Having starred for Turkey at Euro 2008, the man now know as Kazim Kazim was the next big thing in his adopted country 18 months ago, but a couple of interviews given without permission appear to have scuppered his chances of staying there.

Kazim has been fined by coach Luis Aragones and told he has no future at the club. Hull City and Portsmouth have expressed an interest in the past, but with a price tag of £3m, certainly the latter is unlikely to pay up.

Times are tough at Fratton Park, where the global financial crisis seems to have hit harder than elsewhere.

As a result, the Daily Mail reports that Pompey may be forced to accept reduced sums for three players they have already sold.

Jermain Defoe, Benjani and Lassana Diarra all left the south cast coast club for hefty sums but Pompey now want to restructure those deals to alleviate their financial woes.

The trio were sold on the understanding that payments would be made over a number of years but with cash at a premium at Portsmouth, they are now willing to accept reduced amounts if Tottenham, Manchester City and Real Madrid respectively can settle their debts immediately.

In other news, soon-to-be Championship side West Brom are preparing for a summer clear-out and that could be good news for Celtic boss Gordon Strachan, who likes the look of Marek Cech .

The Slovak full-back pricked Strachan's interest in January, when a move for him was blocked by Albion, but with relegation almost a certainty, the Baggies will not be able to ignore another bid in the summer.

And finally, it is no secret that Rafa Benitez likes to give his compatriots a chance on Merseyside, so it comes as no surprise to see the Liverpool boss eyeing up yet more Spanish talent.

The latest name to be linked with a move to Anfield is Javi Martinez, the 20-year-old Athletic Bilbao midfielder.

But Benitez is likely to face competition from Fiorentina for the Spain U21 starlet, who they have been monitoring all season.

Eurosport