Manchester City boss Mark Hughes needs to land a big-name signing to keep his job, it has been revealed.
The Mail on Sunday says Hughes is facing a credit crunch in reverse by having to spend a large amount in January to ensure his job is safe.
Hughes' billionaire bosses from Abu Dhabi are unhappy that none of the five superstars they selected for City - Kaka, Sergio Aguero, Gianluigi Buffon, Ashley Cole and John Terry - will be at Eastlands in the new year, even though they were happy to pay £200million to make it happen.
The City manager, experienced enough to know superstars such as Kaka are far more likely to move in the summer than during the middle of the season, knows he has to show his bosses he can attract A-list players sooner rather than later or else risk being replaced by a higher-profile manager.