Santos have said they prefer to take Manchester City forward Robinho on an 18-month loan rather than make him a short-term signing.
The Brazilian giants have targeted the former Real Madrid player who has struggled to make an impact in the Premier League this season.
"We are respecting Manchester's directors, they have to be respected. We are optimistic without being too optimistic," Santos communications coordinator Arnaldo Hase told BBC Radio.
"The negotiations began last week, there were some mails between the Manchester directors and Santos directors."
He added: "The first thought of the Manchester directors, it was about six months. Of course Santos would like it to be more - one year, one year and a half if possible."
Robinho was a £32.5 million recruit by City last January and is known to want a return to his homeland.
While City officials remain reluctant to discuss the issue and boss Roberto Mancini insists he wants the player to stay so long as he is happy, Robinho said on Monday he was "90 per cent" certain he is returning to Santos.
Manchester City's final bill for expensive Robinho mistake will be at least £40m
In the next 48 hours, it could all be over. Five hundred and 13 days, 53 games, 16 goals and £11.5million in wages since Robinho touched down at Manchester City, rather than Chelsea, the man who changed the world will most likely be gone, certainly for six months, possibly for ever.
Perhaps, given the nature of his arrival, Robinho should delay finalising the loan deal which will take him to Santos, where he began his career, until the last day of the transfer window.
Perhaps television reporters should be stationed outside the club’s 20,000-capacity Vila Belmiro ground, together with jubilant fans. Perhaps Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro, the Brazilian side’s president, should give an interview stating the move shows Santos’s intent to become the biggest club in the world.
Perhaps not. More likely, the player who cost more than Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres combined, the most expensive footballer in British history, will slink away from the Premier League through the back door. The man who arrived to set Manchester City on the road to glory will depart on the boulevard of broken dreams.
Few will miss him. True, he offered the occasional, tantalising glimpse of his undoubted, extraordinary ability. He was mesmeric on occasion last season, particularly at Eastlands, as Arsenal would testify. Edited highlights are not enough for £32.5 million, though. City had a right to expect the full feature.
They did not get it. By any normal reckoning, Robinho must rank as the standard-bearer for the worst excesses of the Premier League, for the perils of reckless spending.
He has been deemed surplus to requirements by two managers, one representing British grit, the other continental flair. Roberto Mancini worked with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Luis Figo. He knows how to get the best out of mercurial players. Even he found himself resigned to failure with the Brazilian.
Only two clubs, Benfica and Santos, have expressed any interest in rescuing him from his Eastlands purgatory. Neither of those sides, rich though their histories are, are at the forefront of the modern game. Neither of them even want to pay for him.
City will write off at least £40 million, all told, from the Robinho experiment. Even Manchester United recouped £10 million on Juan Sebastian Veron.
And yet such an analysis is overly simple. Yes, Robinho did not succeed on the pitch. Yes, economically, he was an expensive mistake. But he was not bought solely to deliver success on the pitch. And City deal in the freakonomics of the petrodollar. The cost? Just a handful of barrels.
Robinho was a statement of intent, a sign of what was to come. He was the clarion call that made the world sit up and take notice. Five hundred and 13 days ago, everything changed, and it was Robinho’s arrival that proved it. In that sense, he succeeded. In that sense, he could not have failed.
Robinho's father and several of the player's advisers also arrived in England over the weekend after the Brazilian international confessed he wished to leave Eastlands just 18 months after signing for a British record £32.5 million.
While Santos do not have the funds to match the player's £160,000-a-week wages, the club are believed to be ready to offer a package which would mean Robinho taking as much as a 30 per cent pay cut. City and external investors – in exchange for the right to use his image – would contribute the majority.
Under the terms of the offer, Robinho could forego as much as £1.2 million over the duration of his contract to push the deal through, though City are adamant they are under no pressure to let him to leave and insist a deal will only be agreed if a suitable financial package can be agreed. Robinho's father and several of the player's advisers also arrived in England over the weekend after the Brazilian international confessed he wished to leave Eastlands just 18 months after signing for a British record £32.5 million.
Robhino deal has been DONE read HERE
Carlos Tevez: I am at 'the right club' after joining Manchester City--
Carlos Tevez has said he is now at the right club after joining Manchester City from Manchester United.
The Argentina forward has stoked up the rivalry between the clubs with his brace in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final clash at Eastlands last week and his subsequent spat with United captain Gary Neville.
Manchester City stepped in to sign Tevez in the summer when United decided not to turn his loan deal into a permanent arrangement, and the 25-year-old insists he could not be happier at how things have turned out.
Quoted in the Daily Mirror, Tevez said: "The welcome I received from the moment I arrived at City has been very special. I was made to feel loved and this means a lot to any footballer.
"I feel I've shown I'm at the right club now. Everyone knows how important the fans are at this club and, if I make them happy, it's an honour.
"I think the United fans know I tried hard. City is my club now, a place where I feel part of everything. Maybe this wasn't always the way at United."
Nedum 1st game at wembley in sights--
Nedum Onuoha has never played at Wembley, but each passing cup-tie brings that mouthwatering prospect a little closer for the England Under-21 defender and lifelong Blues fan.
Nedum marked his call-up at Scunthorpe on Sunday by firing his first FA Cup goal - and City's important second - in a battling 4-2 victory that took Roberto Maancini's men into the last 16.
But the game that has captured Onuoha's imagination is the Carling Cup semi-final derby second leg at Old Trafford on Wednesday with City potentially just 90 minutes from reaching the final.
Nedum said: "It's probably as big a game as we've played in, an absolutely massive game and one that won't be forgotten for a long time. We need to make sure that at the end it's in our favour.
"It's the first time in a long time there's been so much pressure on United to beat us. But if you start thinking of defending at Old Trafford, it usually leads to bad things happening.
"We have to attack. If we score the first goal then it puts a lot more pressure on them. And if the game gets stretched later on, there are players on our side who will relish it.
"I was at the play-off final when we beat Gillingham but I've never actually played at Wembley, never come close. But we need to make sure we get through that semi-final hurdle."
Nedum, 23, was sidelined by injury when new manager Mancini arrived, but added: "You could see the way that the mentality changed in a short time, and there was even greater expectancy.
"It was good to be able to watch things develop and know the level you needed to be at if you want to be in the side. It's a challenge, but if it's too easy you probably lower your standards."
His strike just before half time at Glanford Park came courtesy of a cute pass from Stephen Ireland - the provider when he scored his UEFA Cup goal in Copenhagen 11 months ago.
Nedum, who was raiding from right-back, smiled: "I've played alongside Stevie for years, so I knew when to expect the ball. I usually score once a season, so I guess that's probably it!
"Perhaps in the past we'd have faced an upset. I was on the bench at Oldham and it hit me quite hard, but even though Scunthorpe arre a good side I was never really worried eveen at 1-1."
The official Man City match review plus news from past few days
match review
Match details
Sunday 24 January 2010, 4:00PM
Glanford Park Att: 9000
Roberto Mancini clearly has the hang of this cup-tie lark. At this rate, success-starved Blues fans are going to have to start thinking about making more than one trip to Wembley.
The only team in the country not to have lost a cup game this season found that Glanford Park was no cakewalk, but on a day when another of the elite fell by the wayside, City were good value.
Tricky ties like this were once the bane of the Blues. You don't need to go back as far as Halifax to feel a sense of relief. Oldham in 2005, Forest last season ... the list is too long.
But even though he fielded only three of the stars who tackled United in the Carling Cup semi-final derby, Mancini showed he can manage the high-wire balancing selection act with the best.
Indeed, it was Arsene Wenger who miscalculated on the day, otherwise his beaten Arsenal side would be bound for the City of Manchester Stadium in next month's fifth round rather than Stoke.
Impressive goals from Martin Petrov, Sylvinho and, finally, Robinho made sure that gallant Scunthorpe were never more than tasty filling between two hefty slices of the Carling Cup derby.
Scunthorpe do have a fighting quality about them, as they had showed during the feisty first half of their eventual 5-1 Carling Cup defeat at the City of Manchester Stadium back in October.
They once again had to contend with conceding an early goal, this time from that rejuvenated winger Petrov, who has flourished under Mancini after his perceived neglect earlier this season.
The Bulgarian, who kicked off Mancini's reign by scoring against Stoke on Boxing Day, conjured a fabulous strike after Robinho's series of stepovers momentarily mesmerised home defenders.
Teams
Scunthorpe United:
Murphy, Byrne, Jones (Milne,82), Murfin, Williams, Thompson, McCann (Wright, 87), Togwell, Woolford, Hayes (Forte, 87), Hooper
Unused subs:
Lillis, Sparrow
Bookings:
Manchester City:
Taylor, Onuoha, Boyata, Kompany, Sylvinho, Ireland (Zabaleta, 65), De Jong (Cunningham, 46), Ibrahim, Robinho Bellamy, 84), Benjani, Petrov
Unused subs:
Nielsen, Barry, Wright-Phillips
Bookings:
Sylvinho, Cunningham
But again, just as they had in October, Nigel Adkins' plucky Championship side not only recovered their composure but snapped up an equaliser to make a proper cup tie of the occasion.
Paul Hayes, celebrated in Scunny for scoring at Stamford Bridge, is an FA Cup warrior who helped Barnsley to the semi-finals, and his 29th-minute finish certainly matched Petrov's for quality.
Television replays showed that the striker was offside when the ball fell for him to volley past former Arsenal keeper Stuart Taylor, making his City debut in his first FA Cup tie for seven years.
But Scunthorpe probably deserved their stroke of fortune, given that they were by no means inferior in a cut-and-thrust first half, and the Blues had to work harder than they'd have liked.
Nigel de Jong, always up for a scrap, hurled himself into the midfield dogfight with gusto while Somali-born Norwegian youngster Abdi Ibrahim acquitted himself well on his surprise debut.
But it was another of City's bright young men who reclaimed the lead as Nedum Onuoha finished a right-flank raid by clipping Stevie Ireland's astute lifted pass beyond Murphy before half time.
City were bound to miss de Jong, replaced at half time by second debutant Greg Cunningham, and the Irish left-back's enthusiasm in the challenge cost him an unlucky booking inside two minutes.
But Cunningham's appearance freed Sylvinho for a midfield role that allowed the former Barcelona veteran to seal victory with a marvellous 35-yarder that dipped and dazzled as it beat Murphy.
As well as being his first Blues goal since arriving last summer, it was the Brazilian's first in English football for a decade, having last scored in Arsenal colours against Chelsea in 2000.
Soon after, a pinball flurry in Murphy's six-yard box saw the keeper block successive efforts from Ibrahim, Robinho, and Robinho yet again, prompting the frustrated Brazil ace to shake hands.
Scunthorpe felt somewhat aggrieved, having seen Cliff Byrne hit the bar in the first half and Taylor pull off a super save from Sam Togwell in the second just before Sylvinho made it 3-1.
They made sure there was a tense finish when home skipper Byrne's toe-poke effort from a long throw crept past Taylor off Dedryck Boyata's deflection with 20 minutes still to play.
But City rode the home backlash before some smart passing crafted a fine, clinical fourth goal for Robinho, who scored his first since May before immediately making way for Craig Bellamy.
Watch the official highlights HERE
Boss pleased--
Roberto Mancini was pleased with his blend of youth and experience that saw City through to the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon.
The Blues knocked a battling Scunthorpe United out of a cup competition for the second time this season, and in an entertaining affair goals from Petrov, Onuoha, Sylvinho and Robinho saw the Blues to a 4-2 win.
Abdu Ibrahim and Greg Cunningham were the latest City Academy graduates to make their first team debuts, and Stuart
“We played well, especially at times in the second half, but it was a difficult afternoon for us. Scunthorpe made it hard and deserve some congratulations. We had expected a typical FA Cup tie, which is what we got. I told the player they would need to concentrate for the full game, they did and we got the result but it was not easy.
“Our young players did very well, they have shown me what they can do in training and I had no problem in picking them today. They have the right mentality and this was a big test for them. I’m pleased with them and pleased for them.”
Moment of the day was Sylvinho’s spectacular long-range strike that put City 3-1 ahead midway through the second half, with the veteran Brazilian coming in for praise from his manager.
“Sylvinho is a great player to have in your squad, he sets an example to everyone and deserved his goal. It’s good to have someone like him that can change position if we need, and he had to in the second half. It was a fantastic strike by him and I’m pleased for him for all the hard work he puts in for the squad.”
Weiss on loan--
Vladimir Weiss has completed his loan move to Bolton, which will see him spend the rest if the season at the Reebok Stadium.
The 20-year-old Slovakian winger has made one starting appearance as well as three off the bench for City this season, scoring his first senior goal in the win over Arsenal in the Carling Cup.
His deal has been inked in in time for him to be registered for Tuesday night’s game against Burnley, where new Bolton boss Owen Coyle will face the club he left only recently.
Vlad will be keen to see some valuable match action ahead of his country’s participation this summer’s World Cup, and everyone at City wishes him every success for the rest of the 2009/10 campaign.
Robhino in spotlight--
No surprises as to what story in the Monday papers have descended on.
Robinho's comments to a Brazilian radio station dominate the back pages, with reports from yesterday's win at Scunthorpe inevitably being coloured by speculation over the player's future.
The Guardian's Danny Taylor was wedged into the compact surroundings of the press area at Glandford Park yesterday and he observes:
"The Brazilian may not have come to England with the intention of defeating sides of Scunthorpe's calibre but the late goal that saw off the side currently fourth from bottom of the Championship can be described as some kind of farewell gift – providing, that is, he gets his wish to leave England.
"Until then it had looked as if the former Real Madrid player would remember this as an occasion that encompassed all his memories of English football: a wintry afternoon in a strange town, little time on the ball, a heavy pitch and an opposition crowd roaring with malicious joy whenever his first touch let him down, or on those demoralising moments when he tried his luck from distance without any of the magic of old."
But with only a few days of the transfer window left there is always room for rumoured comings-and-goings. The Mail says that City are interested in taking Roma right-back Marco Motta on loan, while in the Mirror Benjani is 'likely' to get a similar deal with West Ham.
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