Robinho departs City for Santos as Mancini cuts losses

MANCHESTER CITY have bid farewell to Robinho, knowing it is almost certain their record signing will never return to Eastlands.

In a short statement on the official club website, City effectively declared their ambitious £32.5million (€40m) investment in the temperamental forward a failure by allowing him to join former club Santos on loan until August.

It ended a turbulent 18 months at Eastlands for the 25-year-old.

Robinho has never given any impression of being comfortable in Manchester since he joined in a staggering British record deal in August last year.

And, given his recent criticism of Roberto Mancini – who left him out of Wednesday night’s squad for the Carling Cup semi-final defeat at Old Trafford at the player’s own request – it is improbable he would return if the Italian was still at the helm next season, even though Mancini has talked optimistically of the player returning to the Blues next term.

It is a disappointing exit for a player who was City’s top scorer last term but whose 12 appearances this season have yielded just a single goal.

“Robinho is someone who needs to be playing regularly and we wish him well for the period of his loan,” said Mancini, who knew the player wanted to leave to secure his place in the Brazil squad for this summer’s World Cup.

The Italian, meanwhile, faces the tricky task of raising spirits following Wednesday’s injury-time Carling Cup exit at the hands of Manchester United.

Mancini might have been putting a rather attractive gloss on the situation by claiming that “apart from a 10-minute spell in the second-half” his side were in control.

However, it is a fact City got within 38 minutes of their first Wembley appearance since 1981 and 90 seconds away from taking the tie into extra-time.

Despite his short tenure, Mancini looked genuinely upset at the outcome, having been so convinced his side could overcome their neighbours.

It will never be known what the outcome would have been if Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor had not been called away to the African Nations Cup, or Joleon Lescott and Wayne Bridge both lost to injury.

But Mancini felt he saw enough in the players who did play, including 19-year-old rookie defender Dedryck Boyata, to feel City are agonisingly close to joining that elite group of clubs.

“Apart from 10 minutes we were at the same level,” he said.

“You can lose against United and Chelsea and other games like that.

“But the important thing is that you improve from the experience.

“Small details matter and we must concentrate fully all the time.

“Everyone is down but we have to lift our heads. Things change.

“We play Portsmouth on Sunday, we are still in the FA Cup and I feel the top four is within our grasp.”