Ireland: Robinho happy at City

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Speculation has been rife in recent days that Robinho, the club's record £32.5 million signing, wants to leave for Barcelona, but City are strongly denying that he is for sale - and Ireland claims the Brazil international is happy to stay.

Asked if Robinho is committed to City, Ireland said: "Very surprisingly, yes. He really thinks deeply about the club. He seems really happy and contented, even his family seems settled and he seems to be really at home."

He added: "I've no indication where this speculation is coming from - maybe because he's a big-name player," Ireland added in the Guardian. "No way does he seem to want to go somewhere else, definitely not."

Robinho has barely featured for City this season due to an ankle injury. Ireland, such a key figure last season, has also seen limited action of late after losing his place in the team when ill.

The 23-year-old midfielder admitted that hits him hard, and contrasted his approach with the likes of Elano, sold by City to Galatasary in the summer.

"I worry because I take my job so seriously," he said in the Daily Star. "I love my job and this is where I want to play my football. It's just me as a person. I've always been that way.

"If I have a bad training session, or things don't go well, I dwell on it for a few days and I'm inside my head thinking about it. It's because I care so much.

"The first ever meeting the gaffer had at the training ground he gave a speech saying, 'We are going to do things differently and either you get on board or you're going to find yourself in a hard place and it's going to be very difficult'.

"Some people didn't change. Some players were 28 to 29 and it was all new to them, this new regime. How can you get to that age and not have a regime of being professional? You do the simple things right. That's what the gaffer's said to us."