FOOTBALL
HUGHES CAN’T GET KEYS TO BENTLEY
MAKING PLANS: Mark Hughes appears a Manchester City boss in waiting
By Tony Paskin
MARK HUGHES has been warned he faces an immediate battle with Blackburn if he attempts to make David Bentley his first signing as Manchester City manager.
City expect to claim victory today in their bid to install Hughes as Sven-Goran Erikssonís successor after agreeing a compensation package worth £5million with Rovers.
However, Blackburn are determined England winger Bentley will not be allowed to break his current contract and follow Hughes to the City of Manchester Stadium.
Hughes, 44, opened talks last night with Cityís newly installed executive chairman Gary Cook in London. Hughes will be offered a three-year deal worth around £2m a year ñ twice his current salary ñ and provided with guarantees about future spending.
Having fallen out of the running to take charge of Chelsea, former Manchester United striker Hughes is expected to agree to become Cityís 13th manager in 22 years.
City owner Thaksin Shinawatra made Hughes his No1 target after failing in a bid to lure Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to the Premier League after he refused to commit to any future plans until after Euro 2008.
And after assurances that Rovers will be compensated for the three years left on Hughesí contract as well as the loss of four backroom staff ñ assistant-manager Mark Bowen, first-team coach Eddie Niedzwiecki, goalkeeping coach Kevin Hitchcock, and reserve-team coach Glynn Hodges ñ Blackburnís chief executive John Williams reluctantly sanctioned negotiations.
Facing Hughes is the task of reviving a squad that is low on confidence following a disappointing end to the campaign and the departure of the popular Eriksson.
Should he conclude the switch, Hughes ñ who will have a summer budget of around £50m ñ will make £12m-rated Bentley one of his prime targets.
Hughes is less likely to attempt to lure Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn, largely because of the impending £20m arrival at Eastlands of CSKA Moscowís 21-year-old striker Jo.
He is also aware of Shinawatraís unlikely pursuit of the two-time world player of year Ronaldinho, who is believed to be demanding a world-record salary of around £10m a year to leave Barcelona.
City officials believe a combination of sponsorship deals and other commercial spin-offs can be put together to help cover Ronaldinhoís enormous wage demands, but there remains the underlying belief that at 28, the Brazilianís ambitions extend beyond playing in next yearís UEFA Cup.
Hughes, though, will benefit from a change of heart from club captain Richard Dunne, who has now put on hold his plans to quit Eastlands.
Dunne, who has one year left on his contract, had grown disenchanted at the club following the handling of Eriksson, but he will welcome the arrival of a manager like Hughes and is now expected to reject overtures from Premier League rivals Tottenham and Portsmouth.
The speed of Hughesí departure has caught Blackburn off-guard, and no clear favourite has emerged to replace him.
Former Bolton manager Sam Allardyce yesterday returned prematurely from a family holiday, but Celtic boss Gordon Strachan and Zenit St Petersburgís Dick Advocaat will also figure on a lengthy shortlist.
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