Man City flop Robinho ditches fortune for Santos chance

Robinho has taken a massive pay-cut to leave Manchester City and return on-loan to Santos.

The Daily Mail says Robinho's wife, Vivian, is known to be desperately unhappy in England, and he has cut an isolated figure at City since fellow Brazilian Elano was sold.

It was his desperation to play regular first-team football that led to him agreeing to cut his £160,000-a-week wages in half - he will be paid £75,000-a-week before tax by Santos - and also waive his image rights.

That will allow the Brazilian club to recoup much of their outlay through advertising, and a loan deal that extends beyond the end of the season to August 4 means they can do so throughout the World Cup when he will be at his most marketable.

Robinho is likely to make his debut against Sao Paulo, another team who wanted him, on February 7.