Manchester City boss Mark Hughes is ready to buy big this summer. The Times says at least a dozen players are expected to leave the club at the end of the season - Robinho, the Brazil forward, could be the most high-profile departure, provided that City can find a buyer for their £34.2 million record purchase - with Hughes targeting at least six new arrivals.

Franck Ribéry, the Bayern Munich playmaker, Thierry Henry, the Barcelona forward, and John Terry, the Chelsea captain, top his wish list, although the manager will have a tough job attracting any of those three players. Other targets include Kolo Touré, the Arsenal defender, and Roque Santa Cruz, the Blackburn Rovers striker.

"We are not too far away," Hughes said. "We just need a couple of strong signings to address conspicuous issues in the team. Maybe the acquisition of different types of players to the ones we have already got will leave us in better shape."