Manchester City agree deal for Real Madrid’s Robinho

[Elano]

Manchester City have reportedly agreed a deal with Real Madrid to sign long-term Chelsea target Robinho for £32.5m.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Manchester City had one bid for the Brazilian star rejected this afternoon, but an improved second offer accepted later this evening.

The Sky Blues now have less than two hours to agree personal terms with Robinho himself in order to complete the move before the summer transfer window closes at midnight.

The news will come as a bitter blow to Chelsea after the club has spent the best part of a month trying to negotiate the 24-year-old’s transfer.

[Lil White Azz]

it's maybe gonna be a loan....but the window isn't closed yet...

[Lil White Azz]

Real Madrid and Manchester City agree to terms on Robinho transfer
Realmadrid.com

Real Madrid have agreed to transfer Robson da Souza Robinho to Manchester City. Based on prior events, such as statements made by the player, a decision taken by the coach, and a new offer on behalf of Manchester City, the club decided to transfer Robinho to the English side.

The decision was made after taking into consideration all the human and sporting factors related to the case and while also considering the criteria set forth by the sporting director, coach, and secretary general of the club.

The Board of Directors would like to reiterate the faith it has in the current squad and its ability to reach new heights in the sport. Finally, Real Madrid would like to wish Robinho the best of luck in future endeavors.

[Rud]

Wow, what an end to the xfer window!

What a coup for City - £34m - a massive fuck you to Chelsea and a MASSIVE statement of intent from the new owners...

[K.Dub]

Wow, what an end to the xfer window!

What a coup for City - £34m - a massive fuck you to Chelsea and a MASSIVE statement of intent from the new owners...

[Elano]

Manchester City have made a dramatic late deadline-day swoop for Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Robinho.

The deal to bring the 24-year-old was completed shortly before the midnight cut-off point, and he has signed a four-year contract.

Robinho, full name Robson de Souza, scored 25 goals in just over 100 games at the Bernabeu, during which time he won two La Liga winner’s medals. He moved to Spain after his attacking talents caught the eye in his home country when with Santos. He has also scored 11 times in 42 caps for Brazil.

He becomes City’s fourth Brazilian player, joining Elano, Jo and Glauber Berti.

Manager Mark Hughes exclusively told mcfc.co.uk, “I am absolutely delighted to get the opportunity to work with such an incredible talent like Robinho. 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.”


(mcfc.co.uk)

[wilz]

fuck me, didn't see this one coming. im thinking Arsenal better watch out cos Man City arent' that far off there level now
 Isaakson, Dunne, Micah Richards, Johnson, SWP Elano, Jo, Robinho, Petrov (thats a great team and if they can gel well together then i think they could break the top four                                                                 

[Elano]

fuck me, didn't see this one coming. im thinking Arsenal better watch out cos Man City arent' that far off there level now
 Isaakson, Dunne, Micah Richards, Johnson, SWP Elano, Jo, Robinho, Petrov (thats a great team and if they can gel well together then i think they could break the top four                                                                 

the new ownere is like a new abramovich (maybe even richer),the city in a couple of years will be in champions league

[Adam Donnelly]

Oh YES let the good times role 
 

[ABN]

Isaakson                                                              

Isaksson´s playing for PSV.

[Elano]

i'm really happy for the city,united is so fuckin arrogant i can't stand them no more.
C'MON!

[K.Dub]

fuck me, didn't see this one coming. im thinking Arsenal better watch out cos Man City arent' that far off there level now
 Isaakson, Dunne, Micah Richards, Johnson, SWP Elano, Jo, Robinho, Petrov (thats a great team and if they can gel well together then i think they could break the top four                                                                 

Arsenal? What about Liverpool?

[7even]

This is great news! Congrats! Fuck Real!

[KURUPTION-81]

Ive gotta laugh at Real and Chelsea but for Robinho to go to City  Its all about the Benjamin's !!!!


The big question left by transfer window day is this: Does Robinho now regret working so hard to create an environment where it was not possible for him to continue at Real Madrid?

All summer he has been trying to force his way out of the Bernabeu - but he imagined that Chelsea would be there to catch him, and a compatriot coach in Luiz Felipe Scolari would be there to boost his confidence and bring out the best in him.

Instead of which, it is Mark Hughes and Manchester City - and for all their money and ambitious talk, it is a strange setting for his stated objective of being considered the best player in the world.

Robinho takes with him to the North West of England the guarantee that he will produce the odd breathtaking moment of individual skill to warm frozen Mancunian hearts over the next few months.

But will he come up with enough to be truly decisive when the silverware is handed out? Enough to really put himself in contention for the Fifa World Player Award? These questions hold no such guarantees.

During last June's 0-0 draw at home to Argentina in World Cup qualification, the local media had a camera trained on Brazil coach Dunga, and a lip-reading specialist trying to decipher what he was saying to his assistant. One of the things that Dunga is presumed to have said is "Robinho looks scared."

It is an interesting assessment. Last year Robinho was named as the outstanding player in the Copa America.

But there were few magic moments in the final against Argentina, which Brazil won 3-0, and even fewer in the semi final against Uruguay, which Brazil scraped through on penalties.

His truly great performances came in the two meetings with Chile, a 3-0 win in a group game and a 6-1 rout in the quarter final. Both times Robinho was dazzling.

But Chile were not only very poor defensively, they were also falling apart after internal discipline problems.

Indeed, the Copa America gave extra evidence for the view that, so far, Robinho is something of a rabbit killer, a slayer of the weak who can look fragile against the strong.

Real Madrid clearly don't rate him anything like as highly as Cristiano Ronaldo - Robinho's desire to leave the Bernabeu dates from the moment this became clear.

He has been roundly criticised in Brazil for his behaviour in attempting to force a move to Chelsea.

It has brought back memories of 2005 when he pulled the same trick - and even refused to play for a while - to oblige Santos to sell him to Spain.

One of Brazil's leading pundits, Paulo Vinicius Coelho, wrote that "the strike at Santos and the lack of professionalism at Real...show that the star is still a spoilt child, that he hasn't become a man." But he has now become a Man City player.

The 24-year-old loves to cultivate an image of the happy-go-lucky jokester. But it can come across as a little contrived. Certainly Arrigo Sacchi seemed to think so.

The ex-Milan boss was working at Real Madrid in Robinho's early days there, and felt that the young Brazilian's problems settling in were down to a lack of self-esteem.

From a Man City point of view, one worrying aspect of the deal is the difficulties Robinho has had in adapting to Spanish football.

In Brazil, fouls are given for the slightest physical contact. In Europe, the criteria is different. Many times with Real, Robinho went to ground looking for a free kick, and was then seen swearing in Portuguese when he didn't get the decision.

In the Premier League he can expect more physical contact and less space to work in.

But this is the space that he has now chosen for himself. It will be fascinating to see how he copes with his new challenge.

Will he light up the English winter with virtuoso displays? Or will he struggle and soon pull another sulk job in attempt to force an exit from the club he has just joined?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/timvickery/2008/09/the_big_question_left_by.html

[bez]

Robinho = overrated