Manchester City will use playmaker Robinho as a bait to lure England and Chelsea captain John Terry to the Eastlands.
City are believed to have had a bid for the England international turned down earlier this season and will not give up trying to lure Terry to Manchester.
Robinho has been underwhelming for City since joining them seven months ago - especially away from home.
There are also reports that senior City players are unhappy about his lack of work-rate.
Robinho was the Abu Dhabi United Group's first purchase on their first day in power last September. He is also the club's leading scorer with 12 goals in 27 appearances.
The Brazilian did not covered himself with glory when he he was fined two weeks' wages - roughly £320,000 - for sneaking out of a mid-season training camp in Tenerife to fly back to Brazil before his 25th birthday.
There was also a rumoured falling-out with new teammate Craig Bellamy.
While Hughes may not be able to get the best out of Robinho, he could use him as a sweetener for Chelsea in exchange for Terry.
Terry is the type of leader Hughes has in mind to help build his team.
City's information is that Terry, despite his public statements to the contrary, is not as settled at Chelsea as supporters of the London club would like to believe.
City have the financial power to double his weekly £135,000 salary and their inquiries have convinced them that the England captain wants to hear about the plans of the club's owners in Abu Dhabi.
The involvement of Robinho, City's so-called 'marquee signing,' will shock the club's supporters but prominent figures in Abu Dhabi are confident that disappointment will be offset by a planned £200m recruitment programme in the summer, with David Villa, Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure and Roque Santa Cruz also on the extensive list of targets.
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