Source: Telegraph
Manchester City insist Robinho is going nowhere despite Barcelona rumours
Senior City officials, accompanying Mark Hughes's players on their winter training break in Abu Dhabi, moved to stamp out increasing speculation linking the £32.5 million British record signing with a January transfer to Barcelona.[LNB]The club were reacting to comments made by the player's representatives yesterday to The National, the Abu Dhabi newspaper, claiming that Robinho was 'on his way out' of City. [LNB] Related ArticlesHughes should shout at Bridge, not the TVHughes risks row with Wales over BellamyMark Hughes defends under-fire BridgeManchester City supporters demand investigation into Evans challengeSport on televisionReports have also suggested that chief executive Garry Cook was due to hold talks with Barcelona officials this week to discuss a possible loan move for Robinho. [LNB]The player himself has admitted in recent weeks that he is open to the prospect of a move away from City, 15 months after his deadline-day arrival from Real Madrid. [LNB]Robinho is understood to have struggled to settle in Manchester and learn English. [LNB]Although parties representing Robinho are based in the same opulent Emirates Palace hotel as the team and club officials, top level figures at City have insisted that the player will not be leaving the club in the transfer window and that he remains central to their plans. [LNB]With Robinho tied to a £160,000-a-week contract until 2012, City are resolute in their stance that Hughes, Cook and chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak will not be influenced by attempts to unsettle the forward. [LNB]City sources insist that no meetings have taken place with Barcelona since the two clubs met in a friendly in the Nou Camp in August and that nobody has been given a mandate to discuss any transfer of Robinho. [LNB]And with Barcelona officials in Abu Dhabi to discuss arrangements with local organisers ahead of next month's Fifa Club World Cup, Cook dismissed suggestions that he is due to meet the Barca camp about Robinho. [LNB]Cook said: "There are no plans to meet Barcelona here this week to talk about Robinho. [LNB]"I think some people are trying to make mischief when they talk about him leaving. I don't know where these things are coming from. [LNB]"They're not coming from us. We want to talk to him [Robinho] this week, but only about getting him fit to play for us again."[LNB]Cook's comments were echoed by Hughes, who said: "I am quite clear, and Robinho should be quite clear, that his future is very much with City. [LNB]"There is no reason to think that will change any time soon. All those stories [of a move to Barcelona] do not originate from anyone from City."[LNB]Robinho, who returned to training for the first time in two months last Friday, took part in a light session on Tuesday night as Hughes's squad were put through their paces at the newly-opened Emirates Palace training complex. [LNB]The forward is due to fly to Qatar on Wednesday in the company of the club's medical staff to have his ankle injury assessed by Brazil team doctors after being named in the squad for Saturday's Doha friendly against England. [LNB]City have informed the Brazilians that Robinho is not fit to play this weekend, with Hughes not expecting him to be fit to return to first-team action before the Premier League clash with Hull City at Eastlands on Nov 28. [LNB]Robinho is due to return to Abu Dhabi after being examined by Brazil, but Hughes has no plans to call on the player for Thursday's sold-out friendly game against the United Arab Emirates. [LNB]
