Premier League - Gossip Shop: Robinho to go

Eurosport - Tue, 14 Apr 18:24:00 2009

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.

FOOTBALL Robinho Manchester City 2009 - 0

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

Comment 8 - 27 of 47

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  1. Why the fuss about Robinho? How many good players are­ in the team? The Manager get the most blame because as­ a manager you must be able to bring the best out of­ your players. Recent example is Drogba under Scolari.­ I believe Robinho will out live Mark H in the eastland.

    From cynthadel, on Tue 14 Apr 4:03PM

  2. Hughes will go in the summer and city need to get rid­ of a few players as well. Hughes did waste 17m on De­ Jong who a) hasn't been that good and b)­ would've been on a free at the end of the season.­ Bellamy is a good player but he's a mug and spends­ most of his career on the sidelines.
    They did almost­ sign Kaka though..........yeah righto!! : )

    From Steve, on Tue 14 Apr 4:03PM

  3. I knew i can play I knew i can do it. Shame I've­ been sorounded by idiots. Why i became striker? Should­ gone on wing. Well @#$% atleast i have my millions.

    From darcj, on Tue 14 Apr 4:01PM

  4. Get rid of Hughes, bring back the recently sacked Sven.­ He can manage top named players, there was none of this­ bad attitude shown by Elano last season while Eriksson­ was in charge. I knew it was a wrong decision the­ second it was announced that Sparky was the new­ manager. He can manage average players like Bellamy but­ when it comes to members of the Brazilian national team­ he's nuts. It was both Robiinho and Elano that­ scored the goals in Brazil's 2-0 win over Italy.­ Why do they perform so well then eh? Bad management,he­ should be firm like Capello is.

    From phil_kasteel, on Tue 14 Apr 3:59PM

  5. am happy for this, they should ave allowed him come to­ Chelsea and enjoy football

    From Nonsrule, on Tue 14 Apr 3:58PM

  6. Robinho couldn't break into the team while in­ Spain. But to be honest, he needs to play with better­ players around him. He plays well for his country.

    From Tai P, on Tue 14 Apr 3:57PM

  7. Hughes managed to motivate an average group of players­ at Blackburn into a pretty tight unit......but be­ honest he hasnt managed to motivate teh ManC­ group....has he ?.
    He must accept some responsibility.

    From will p, on Tue 14 Apr 3:56PM

  8. I WOUNDER WHO WILL GO FIRST HUGES OR Robinho

    From I TYSON, on Tue 14 Apr 3:43PM

  9. Why are people blaming Mark Hughes????????
    He may have­ access to millions, but there are no shops open at the­ moment!!
    He needs at least one whole season with the­ signings he really wants.

    From Oliver, on Tue 14 Apr 3:41PM

  10. It was obvious from the start this would­ happen.....
    and Robinho is not a good player I hope he­ leaves the prem

    From Rasharne, on Tue 14 Apr 3:31PM

  11. Mark 'Sparky' Hughes is the one who should be­ dispensed with at Manchester City. What a useless­ so-called Manager. He cannot win games away despite­ his access to millions, and now he cannot win matches­ at home either!

    From Tom..., on Tue 14 Apr 3:31PM

  12. with the way he , his agent and city done that deal as­ a chelsea supporter im glad its all gone belly up and­ im so glad we never got him, we have had our fair share­ of over-priced lazy players hang on we still got deco­ oi city want another one? All that money is a curse as­ players arrive on inflated wages and stupid contracts­ and cant be bothered anymore cant blame them they are­ never gonna get a better deal and for 99% of the top­ players out there its the money not the game im happy­ to say we have two exceptions JT and Lamps COME ON­ CHELS!

    From virgilsonia, on Tue 14 Apr 3:18PM

  13. one good player does not make a team....sorry for the­ over ambitious bluenoses who with mark hughes have­ tried to create a world class team only to be­ undermined by the loud mouthed owner who talked the­ cost of great players so high it could never be­ sustained!

    From stuartxland, on Tue 14 Apr 3:05PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Robinho thumbs up

    From samson, on Tue 14 Apr 2:59PM

  15. Oh, and dianesellers, don't be so presumptuous. I­ want a stupid free console.

    From sergeisdiary, on Tue 14 Apr 2:46PM

  16. Such was the former Real Madrid ace's reputation at­ the time...he would spearhead City's campaign to­ qualify for the Champions League

    Ya whit!? His­ reputation!? He had a reputation as one of the biggest­ flops Real had ever signed (and that's saying­ something), for being lazy, unprofessional and­ generally stroppy, for having a selfish attitude and­ for not producing anything close to the quality he­ showed in Brazil. The only question was why were­ Chelsea in for him too? Ah, I forgot. Big Phil...

    From sergeisdiary, on Tue 14 Apr 2:45PM

  17. who in the right mind would want robinho? any striker­ is as good as robinho. the guys is a mercenary, simple­ as that...i would hate to see him at chelsea.

    From go, on Tue 14 Apr 2:44PM

  18. Robihpo really needs to go to a place where his­ football sense will be appreciated. A very skillful­ player that found himself @ a wrong team @ a wrong­ time. His tree cannot make a forest in d thick gungle­ of Man City. What a shame.

    From Allen, on Tue 14 Apr 2:39PM

  19. no one wants your stupid consoles this is a football­ website

    From dianesellars, on Tue 14 Apr 2:30PM

  20. Ambramovich no longer regrets losing the race to sign­ robinho

    From Darragh, on Tue 14 Apr 2:23PM
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