Manchester City Football Club News

• Nickname:Sky Blues
• Founded:1887
• Manager:Roberto Mancini

• Ground:City of Manchester Stadium
• Capacity:48,000

Mancini hopes Robinho stays

25 Jan 2010 - 07:39:33

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Manager Roberto Mancini remains hopeful that Brazilian striker Robinho will opt to stay with Manchester City, despite growing talk of a move away from Eastlands.

The 26-year-old has been linked with a return to his homeland to join Santos, while Portuguese giants Benfica are also rumoured to be interested.

Mancini said after watching Robinho score in the 4-2 FA Cup fourth round win at Scunthorpe United: "Hopefully in the end Robinho will stay here.

"In the next day the situation can change, but at the moment he stays here and I am very happy for him.

"I hope he will stay here, but it is important he will stay here happy and enjoy it. He is a very good player. I think he is enjoying Manchester.

"I think one player can stay in a squad only if he is happy - if he wants to play every game and if he wants to work every day. That is most important because the players and manager must be happy.

"I have five or six strikers and I must decide every game between them. It's impossible to play with four strikers.

"Robinho didn't play against Manchester United but he played today."