JOB DONE FOR ROBINHO

HE was Sheikh Mansour's marquee signing, a glittering bauble heralding Manchester City's arrival at football's high table.

More than that, Robinho rolling up at Eastlands acted as a slap in the face for Chelsea, a £32.5million statement of intent.

The Brazilian had been one of the stars of the show at Real Madrid and now here he was at City, a transfer deadline day deal which eclipsed even Dimitar Berbatov's move to the other side of Manchester.

That was in August 2008. Little over a year later, Robinho's career in England has almost run its course, with Barcelona his likely destination in the January transfer window.

He has already quit his English classes at the club's Carrington training ground, no longer committed to learning the language.

That lack of application has not gone unnoticed, especially as City's Argentina right back Pablo Zabaleta is almost word perfect.

Despite Robinho's happy-go-luck approach, shaking hands and smiling at everyone he comes into contact with, he is itching for a move back to Spain.

He misses Brazilian team-mate Elano, his ally in the City dressing room last year when his work-rate was under scrutiny.

There have been reminders from the management already this season, with coaching staff not convinced that he is prepared to do the leg work down the left.

Warning signs

Mark Hughes has built a hard-working team, a refined version of the Blackburn side which finished seventh in his final season at Ewood Park.

City's players are prepared to smoke him out, with Roque Santa Cruz reminding Robinho that the team needs graft as well as guile.

The £18m City striker is only just beginning to make his mark after injury, but he has already seen the warning signs.

"It's not easy to keep people happy when they are not playing," admitted the City striker.

"It will be very hard if players get impatient or start moaning. We don't want that and with the people we have here it won't happen."

Robinho does not fit the mould of a Manchester City player under Hughes, too flamboyant for a functional team.

While Robinho has been recovering from ankle surgery the team has flourished, already competing for a place in the top four.

Wayne Bridge has been transformed at left-back, comforted by the presence of Craig Bellamy in City's fluid 4-3-3 formation.

Robinho is often a passenger, highlighted last season by his scandalous performance in the 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth.

That was one of the turning points in Robinho's career at the club, sacrificed after 66 desperate minutes at Fratton Park.

With another £150m invested over the summer Robinho is no longer the centre-piece of this forward thinking City side.

There is competition for places in attack, with Bellamy, Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez currently ranked above him in the pecking order.

Despite scoring 15 times last season, he went four months without scoring a goal for the club between December and April.

Spectator

"It's hard for the manager to pick a team, especially when people like Tevez score twice against West Ham," added Santa Cruz.

"Bellamy is playing wonderfully and Robinho is a spectator - you do wonder what is going to happen.

"It is not an easy choice, but as long as the team is winning and everyone is fighting hard, we are happy to be part of it.

"We just have to wait for our chance, but it will come. It is a long season.

"You need to have the mental strength to stay at your best, even when you are not happy, but we are professionals - it's what we are paid for.

"I developed my mental strength like an exercise. When I was at Bayern Munich people were not playing but because we were at the top the hunger was always there.

"People have to show it when they have their chance."

Robinho will be given another opportunity in this City side when he returns from injury, but it will not deter Barcelona.

His potential move to the Nou Camp is delicate, with Barca president Joan Laporta requiring a special board resolution to release the funds mid-season.

That is why they will ask to sign Robinho on loan, something City have no intention of agreeing to.

In return for a sizeable transfer fee, City also want YaYa Toure, but even that is being re-considered after Nigel de Jong's emergence.

Although Toure is now regarded as the best central defensive midfielder in world football, De Jong has excelled in that position for City in recent weeks.

Alternatives have been considered, but Barcelona are reluctant to sell or swap players during the January transfer window.

That does not suit City, but there is a still business to be done between the two clubs.

In the case of Robinho, it's likely to be when. Not if.

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