Hughes moves on after Ron

City boss will not be drawn on links with Rovers duo

Last updated: 16th July 2008

Mark Hughes Manchester City

Hughes: Moving on

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Mark Hughes believes Manchester City's pursuit of Ronaldinho demonstrates the ambition of the Eastlands outfit.

City's attempts to lure the Brazilian playmaker to the North West finally ended in failure when the World Cup winner instead elected to join AC Milan from Barcelona.

New City boss Hughes, who left Blackburn after almost four years at the helm, to join the Blues this summer, is already looking to move on from the long-running saga.

And he feels that club owner Thaksin Shinawatra has made a real statement of intent by making a £25.5million offer in a bid to land the former World Player of the Year.

Great coup

Hughes told Sky Sports News: "We made a real effort to bring the player here, but we just move on.

"I think it shows how ambitious we are as a club and we will pursue good players if they become available.

"We were very much in the mix for one of the top players in the world and we went very close to acquiring the player, which would have been a great coup for us.

"We did as much as we could, in the end it wasn't to be, but I think everyone should be encouraged by the ambition of the club and the owner."

Connection

City have been linked with a number of summer transfer targets, including winger David Bentley and goalkeeper Brad Friedel, two of Hughes' former charges at Ewood Park.

The Welshman would not be drawn on whether the duo were in his plans but admitted he was not surprised to be linked with two players he knows well.

When asked about Bentley and Friedel, he replied: "There will obviously be a connection with players I've worked with before. That speculation will always surround players that I've worked with.

"I've got a great deal of respect for all those players that you've named, and others as well, so we'll see what happens."