"City's Hughes hopes to lure star"

Mark Hughes remains determined to sign star Ronaldinho.

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes remains committed to attracting Ronaldinho Eastlands.

Discussions are ongoing between the club and the player's representatives after he was outside the burden of Barcelona.

City today declared its ambition to Hughes by completing the signing 21-year-old striker Jo, CSKA Moscow.

Now they want to tempt his colleagues from Brazil after splashing out an undisclosed club record fee, cree que se £ 19million.

Hughes claims Ronaldinho has given encouraging signs.

"It's a world star and whether these things will happen is likely to take a little time and we are patient," said the former Blackburn boss.

"In the discussions I had with the club I think is very positive about the idea of coming here.

"It's a process that is underway. It has not diminished in any way or form and there is no immediate deadline."

Ronaldinho has been linked with move to Chelsea under new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Doubts have arisen about the playmaker of the form and fitness.

But Hughes remains adamant that Ronaldinho could give the platform they need to go back to his best.

The City boss said: "Perhaps in the past 18 months has not reached its potential.

"We are offering an opportunity to encourage him and let him return to the level it was in before.

"I think it might be an interesting idea to him. Perhaps what we are doing here what would attract more than go to a Champions League club.

"The decision is yours, of course, as I am sure that many offers. Whether he can see our vision is still to be seen."

Hughes, who will have the staffing to a training camp in Germany tomorrow, is ready to make further additions.

He said: "We are looking to improve the quality of the workforce. In the window that progresses I am sure that there will be players and leave to be replaced.

"It's an ongoing process and something that will continue until the end of the window.

"There are good quality and excellent players here. It's just one case, the balance of the workforce was the right one.

"We are very excited about what's ahead of us. Jo signature is only the first step."

Jo, capped once by Brazil, has agreed a four-year contract.

The state has at the point of making the move to Eastlands for several weeks and Hughes is the first signing since replacing Sven-Goran Eriksson.

During his spell with CSKA, which won the Russian league and cup double in 2006 and has Champions League pedigree having made numerous appearances in the competition for the Moscow club.

He said: "I decided to come to Manchester City because it is one of the clubs who showed more interest in me, although I had other offers too.

"After I spoke with the manager (Hughes) I was very pleased.

"I was told is a club Manchester City to move forward at this time. We can go there, that is our goal. I decided to come to Manchester City for that reason."

Jo revealed joint Spanish Valencia, the City of the main rivals of his signature.

He added: "The club showed interest was officially Valencia. I know the press there are other clubs who showed interest."

Meanwhile, Hughes is close to agreeing new deals to captain Richard Dunne and goalkeeper Joe Hart.

The Dunne said, without a hint of irony: "It's as good as done.

"It's a very important player for us. It's one of my priorities when I became a manager to keep it."

In Hart, added: "Joe is another that we want to stay. We hope to resolve their situation.

"These negotiations are ongoing but I think there is a willingness on both sides."

Hughes' comments came the same day that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain admitted both Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o - also made available by the Catalan giants this summer - could end up staying at the club if not acceptable can be found.

Begiristain told reporters at the inauguration of Daniel Alves that "no news" on an agreement of the two players.

"We await concrete offers from other clubs so that we can negotiate. I understand that this is difficult because there are not many clubs in the world willing to pay these amounts."