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Manchester City Striker Robinho Plays Down Barcelona Link

He says he is 'very happy' in Manchester...

Nov 14, 2009 12:58:31 AM

EPL: De Souza Robinho, Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur (PA)

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EPL: De Souza Robinho, Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur (PA)

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Manchester City striker Robinho has played down talk of a winter move to Barcelona at a press conference with Brazil, who play England in a friendly this weekend.

The 25-year-old striker has been linked with a switch to Camp Nou with reports suggesting that officials from the two clubs were to meet this week to discuss the move, but Robinho says he wants to concentrate on returning to action after a spell on the sidelines.

"I am very happy at my club, people talk a lot, but the truth is that all I am trying to do is return to play again," Robinho remarked.

In a separate matter, which could spark a conflict between club and country, Robinho says he is just fulfilling an obligation by turning up for international duty, even though Citizen's manager Mark Hughes has said earlier this week that the striker would be "foolhardy" to play for Brazil, either against England or Oman midweek, as he has had just trained once in eight weeks.

He added, "I do not want to be in the middle of any discussion between both sides. My obligation is to be here and that is what FIFA indicate."

Paul Madden, Goal.com