First step for new Manchester City boss Hughes is a Dunne deal

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Despite being offered £75,000 a week by ambitious Portsmouth, it is understood that Dunne will be tempted to stay at the City of Manchester Stadium if Thaksin and his aides on the board agree to pay him £50,000 a week.

With Thaksin and new executive chairman Garry Cook looking at ways of funding a £200,000-a-week contract offer for Barcelona's Brazil star Ronaldinho, Dunne's future could be an indicator to the way the club is going to move forward under Hughes.

The new boss wants the 28-year-old Ireland centre back to stay and form the backbone of his defence but this depends on Thaksin's people giving the go-ahead to the contract, something that is yet to happen.

Last night Dunne said: 'In Mark Hughes we've got an exciting young manager who has done particularly well at Blackburn.

I'll have to wait and see now which way the club is going to go. There is certainly the need for some stability.'

Despite the ambitious move for Ronaldinho and the imminent arrival of the CSKA striker Jo, there is still some uncertainty about just how much money Thaksin is going to give Hughes to spend.

For example, the downpayment on the £20million agreed with CSKA Moscow for Brazil striker Jo will be in the region of £7m.