City must put transfer talk to one side

MARK Hughes must keep his Manchester City side focused on matters on the field when they entertain Wigan tomorrow.

The City manager’s head must be spinning - and many of his players must be questioning their own future at the club - as reports abound of huge transfer bids for high-profile players.

City’s pursuit of AC Milan’s Brazilian superstar Kaka is the biggest of the lot and although the vibes are that the bid will be unsuccessful, the club’s mega-rich Abu Dhabi owners have signalled their intentions in no uncertain terms.

It is hardly a subject Hughes can avoid at the moment, although he claims to be comfortable with a situation where City appear able to lavish untold riches on Kaka, while failing to complete deals for West Ham’s Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker, and Blackburn’s Roque Santa Cruz.

"I want players who would enhance our squad. He (Kaka) is in that category," said Hughes.

"There is no time limit other than February 2. Ideally we would have brought more players to the club by now. That is still our aim."

Hughes confirmed record £32m signing Robinho will be fit for tomorrow’s encounter with Wigan, while Shaun Wright–Phillips faces a fitness test on the hamstring injury he suffered against Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago.

Wigan will be back in Manchester for the second time in three days when they face a City side whose last game was a humiliating 3-0 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.

City go into tomorrow’s match only two points clear of the Premier League’s relegation places and cannot be relishing playing Wigan, who were unlucky 1-0 losers against United at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

City have never beaten Wigan at home in the Premier League, tomorrow’s visitors having won twice and drawn once at Eastlands.

Furthermore, Wigan have won six of their last eight league matches to climb to the giddy heights of seventh spot.

Most of last season was spent fighting relegation, but Steve Bruce – who became manager 14 months ago – has transformed the fortunes of the club and has shown excellent judgement in the transfer market.

Eygptian striker Amir Zaki, at Wigan on a season-long loan, has already found the net 11 times, while Bruce has unearthed a number of other bargains, mainly from Central and South America.

Wilson Palacios, Luis Antonio Valencia and Maynor Figueroa are three of the mainstays, although Palacios looks set to leave for Tottenham in a £14m deal.

Bruce will be hoping his latest Latin American acquisition, Colombian international Hugo Rodallega, a £4.5million capture from Mexican side Necaxa, makes a similar impact when he is handed his chance.