Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro is adamant Robinho will join them from Manchester City.

Alvaro has banned anyone else from his club making further comment on negotiations until they were concluded.

But, after the player's adviser put the deal at "95 per cent agreed" on Monday, Luis Alvaro said: "The negotiations have advanced three percentage points and I hope they will advance a further one per cent in the next 24 hours.

"The conversation between Manchester City and Robinho was good and now Robinho is even closer to us. I think we will have an agreement by Thursday."

The Santos chief, who has only been in power for just over a month, dismissed Sao Paulo's interest.

"Robinho is an outstanding player," he said. "It is natural for Sao Paulo, Gremio, Juventus, (Brazilian minnows) XV de Piracicaba or Inter to want an outstanding player like him.

"But we have talked to City, and talked to the player, who expressed his desire to return to the Vila (Belmiro stadium), his home. I am absolutely calm about it."