Robinho’s a Blue

Robinho. He’s well ‘ard and mad for it

Brazilian superstar Robinho has gone Blue. It’s official.

It’s just not the shade of blue anyone was expecting.

The midfielder was a summer-long target for Chelsea and, as recently as yesterday, they were confident of getting their man. After all, they’re the kings of cheque book football, right?

Wrong. They’re now in second place to Manchester City where their new owners, Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment, apparently have serious funds available. As in some ten times more than Roman Abramovich.

Accordingly, City were playing Fantasy Football yesterday, tabling bids for several players including Dimitar Berbatov and David Villa.

They didn’t get anywhere but they’re probably not so bothered. Their Robinho coup has delighted the fans, manager Mark Hughes and stolen Manchester United’s thunder.

The Red Devils finally landed Dimitar Berbatov last night but the completion of that drawn out saga plays second fiddle to the Robinho story on the nation’s back pages today.

Even with the Sun pulling a classic headline pun – Gimme Gimme Dimi at Man U at Midnight – they’re playing second fiddle to the Robinho story.

Robinho is believed to have set the new owners back £32.5m, a British transfer record. And Mark Hughes can’t wait to see what the boy can do.

‘I have said that in order to compete with the best teams in the Premier League we have to be in the market for players of this calibre,’ Hughes announced, ‘and Robinho is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world.’

Sir Alex Ferguson is also delighted to have finally secured Berbatov’s signature.

‘His style and ability will give the team a different dimension and I’m sure he will be a popular player with the fans.’

Until things don’t get his way, Sir Alex, and he starts sloping about like a sulking teen.

Tottenham’s stubbornness paid dividends in the end. They secured a rumoured £30.75m for the out-of-sorts Bulgarian.

What’s more, as persuasion not to make a complaint about United’s tapping up of their player – which could have cost United points, a fine and a transfer ban (but probably wouldn’t because hey, they’re Manchester United) – Spurs got promising young striker Fraizer Campbell on a year’s loan.

Everyone’s happy then. Except Roman Abramovich. And that makes us even happier.

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