Barcelona tried to sign Robinho from Manchester City during the summer, sporting director Txiki Begiristain has confirmed.

The Brazil international, who hopes to make to make his City return from a stress fracture in next Wednesday’s Carling Cup home tie with Scunthorpe, has long been linked with a return to Spain – despite only arriving at Eastlands for £32.5m in September 2008 from Barca’s bitter rivals Real Madrid.

City boss Mark Hughes said recently he was not interested in a deal with the La Liga and European champions, adding he was “not in the process of taking outstanding players out of the team”.

“Robinho is an interesting player who we asked about in the summer. But City would not talk about a transfer and since then we have not made any move,” Begiristain told elmundodeportivo.es.

Robinho will not be involved when City play host to Fulham (Man City 2/5, draw 11/4, Fulham 13/2 match bets) at Eastlands on Sunday in one of four Premier League games available now to bet on with Betfred.