Richard Dunne on the craziest signing he witnessed at Manchester City

Few Premier League fans will forget the utter disbelief caused by the announcement that Manchester City had been taken over by super rich Abi Dhabi owners in 2008.

Their new overlords promised to spend big as a new era dawned for a club that had experienced financial troubles only recently. Some exciting names arrived ahead of the 2008-09 campaign, including Jo, Craig Bellamy and Nigel De Jong but, for those already at the club, it was Robinho who caused the biggest stir. 

“I think the biggest shock was the first one really – Robinho,” says for Manchester City defender Richard Dunne, on behalf of William Hill. “In hindsight, probably looking back, I think that’s a player that sort of player that adds the finishing touch to a really strong side. But we didn’t have the basis of a top-class team to carry a player of his ability. 

“If he signed, say, in this era when they’re dominating games and they need a little bit of flair, or then he would be the guy to go to. But he helped to improve the standard at a club and he improved the outside opinion of the club. Some people started to look at us a little bit differently.