Manchester City Bags Robinho for £32.5 Million from Real Madrid

Manchester City Bags Robinho for £32.5 Million from Real Madrid
City trumped Chelsea's pursuit by completing a four-year deal worth 32.5 million pounds (C$62.2 million) to eclipse the 31 million pounds (C$59.3 million) Andriy Shevchenko cost the Blues' Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich in 2006. Manchester City were successful and set a new British transfer record in the process.

Having completed his astonishing £210 million takeover of Manchester City, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan delivered a swift challenge to Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea — and the rest of football’s elite — with audacious bids for some of the world’s best players.

"It's been one hell of a day," said Hughes. "It's a huge statement of intent. A lot of credit has got to go to Dr Thaksin (Shinawatra, the club's current chairman and owner) for being able to bring the Abu Dhabi company to the table and this huge investment that is going to go forward. They wanted to present something to the people of Manchester and they have been able to do that. It's a fantastic signing for us. If we're going to get to the places we want to get to we are going to have to compete against outstanding teams. We have to attract world-class players and that is what we have done. He is an exceptional talent and opposition teams are going to fear him," he added.

Chelsea was so sure of signing the player that it had angered Madrid last week by briefly offering for sale shirts bearing his name. Madrid rejected Chelsea's initial 32-million-euro (C$49.8-million) bid.

The 24-year-old Brazil forward had long looked set to join Chelsea and his former international manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, but City seems to have done fierce rival United a favour by stopping Robinho from joining the Blues.

City's improved financial status also suggests that it will compete from now on with the likes of super-rich Chelsea, which enjoyed a huge edge in recent years because of the backing of Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

Manchester City will get to unveil their Brazilian superstar on Sept. 13 by playing with Chelsea. Add that to the fact that City just added Shaun Wright-Phillips, who debuted this past weekend with two goals and will get his own shot at his former team when the two clubs square off.

Dhabi United Group (ADUG) Buys Manchester City

Manchester City became the second Arab-owned football club in the English Premier League `EPL` Monday following its takeover by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment and Development `ADUG`. The new owners are expect Premier League clearance so they can buy the club outright, within hours.

ADUG claimed it completed the takeover of the north-west English club from controversial Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra who is fleeing an arrest warrant while on bail over corruption charges in his home country.

Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim the 31-year-old behind the adventure has to wait for the due diligence test, otherwise known as the 'fit and proper person' check before the final piece of the jigsaw can be rubber-stamped. Other than that, City fans waking up this morning can think of their beloved club not just as a rich club but as the wealthiest club in the world.

Talking to the reputable and leading newspaper, Arabian Business, Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim explained that the consortium had dotted the 'I's' and crossed the 'T's', however it was up the EPL's governing body to sanction the takeover.

'It is really about formalities. It is more about securing approval from the authorities in England, such as the Premier League. I don't foresee any problems with the club itself. I need to check my diary and come over to England as soon as possible so I can meet people from the Premier League. We are very happy to become the new owners of Manchester City, one of the oldest clubs in England.'

The deal gave it "all management rights" over Manchester City, while the former Thai prime minister would become honorary president of the club "without any administrative responsibilities," it said.

The takeover comes after Egyptian businessman Mohammed al-Fayed became the first Arab owner of an EPL, when he bought London's oldest professional club, Fulham back in 1997.

The EPL has no restrictions on club ownership, with eight of the 20 clubs in foreign hands, although any director can be automatically disqualified if they are convicted of a listed offense.

Currently, three clubs are under American control, Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa, followed by two under Russian ownership, Chelsea and Portsmouth.

Apart from Manchester City and Fulham, the other club in foreign hands is West Ham, owned by an Icelandic consortium headed by Eggert Magnusson.

Manchester City Secured £30 Million Loan

Manchester City have secured a £30 million loan against future television revenue to support Mark Hughes in the transfer market, amid continuing uncertainty over the future of their owner, Thaksin Shinawatra. City’s financial position is in doubt while Thaksin’s assets remain frozen in Thailand.

The former Prime Minister of Thailand has had his assets frozen after refusing to face corruption charges in his homeland, meaning his £800million are of little use at present. The club have played down the significance of a loan that is designed to ease cashflow difficulties and allow Mark Hughes to strengthen his depleted squad.

The manager is desperate to sign a left back, a midfield player and a striker before the transfer window closes on September 1, having failed with a £12 million bid for Roque Santa Cruz, the Blackburn Rovers forward, last week. Diego Milito, of Real Zaragoza, remains a target after Hughes’s urgency for a striker increased on Sunday when Valeri Bojinov ruptured his Achilles tendon during the warm-up before the 4-2 defeat away to Aston Villa, meaning that five of the club’s forwards are injured while a sixth, Jô, is on Olympic duty with Brazil.

Good news has been in short supply at City lately, with defeat at Villa Park preceded by an embarrassing 1-0 loss at home to FC Midtjylland in a Uefa Cup qualifying match, but the club hope to dispel some of their supporters’ anxiety in the coming days by signing at least two new playes and securing the long-term future of Michael Johnson, the England Under-21 midfield player, who is looking for an improved contract, having attracted interest from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Everton this summer.