Buffon rubbishes talk of City move

Last Modified: 05 Sep 2008
Source: ITN

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has laughed off reports linking him with a £60 million transfer to Manchester City.

City's new Abu Dhabi-based owners, the United Group for Development and Investment, broke the British transfer record to sign Robinho and have claimed more big names will follow when the transfer window opens again in January.

But the Juventus number one, who is currently with the Italy team preparing for their World Cup qualifier against Cyprus, insists he will not be one of them.

He said: "It's a journalist's fantasy. If an offer like that one arrived, I believe Juve would look at the numbers. But I doubt it would ever arrive."

Juve paid Parma £31 million for Buffon in 2001 and the 30-year-old is under contract at the Stadio Olimpico until 2013.

But manager Mark Hughes has promised Manchester City's long-suffering fans he will not squander the opportunity to turn the club into European giants.

Yet a few City fans remain worried, claiming new boy Robinho only left Real Madrid because his preferred move to Chelsea failed to materialise.

They also fear any cash spent will be wasted, with the really big names refusing to leave their present clubs without the lure of Champions League football to attract them.

Hughes has sought to reassure the sceptics and said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for everybody, myself included, and we are not going to let it slip.

"We will do everything in our power to make sure we take advantage of the position we find ourselves in and make everything bigger and better than it was before."

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