Hughes: New owners are happy with City progress

Mark Hughes insists Manchester City's new owners are excited by the progress being made at the club as it spends time in Abu Dhabi, the home of the group that has invested hundreds of millions in the Eastlands outfit.

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After a super start to the current campaign, City have wavered in recent weeks, leaving Hughes admitting that planning for the upcoming January transfer window has already been months in the making.

Manchester City spent £120million during the close season, starting with Gareth Barry and ending with the £24million purchase of Joleon Lescott from Everton, after which Hughes promised there would be no such sums invested in the future. However, with his side beginning to stutter after their outstanding start to the season, Hughes may be tempted back into the market.

"We start preparing for each transfer window almost immediately one closes,'' he said. "That is a process that goes on right through the year. It is not something that starts a couple of weeks before the transfer window opens. It is an ongoing process.''

City went through their paces at a new purpose-built training centre on Tuesday - a further sign of the commitment of the club's new owners to their new acquisition. Media hype and fan expectations have been at an all time high among fans and media, but Hughes said the Abu Dhabi United Group would patiently wait for a return on their massive investment approaching £500million so far.

"It has been evident in the year that we have worked together that this is a long-term plan,'' he said. "It is not going to happen overnight. The owners are very understanding of that. They are excited by how far we have progressed in a short space of time. But they know it is a long-term thing. We have put a platform in place to ensure we have success in future.''

Having added players in practically every position in the summer, any January splurge would theoretically be made to address weaknesses in a side a that has been held to five consecutive Premier League draws. Left back Wayne Bridge could be a perceived liability after he came under fire from Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen after his performance against Burnley on Saturday.

But Hughes, who had already addressed the issue, jumped to the defence of his player for a second time: "When we go to work and perform invariably it is in front of thousands. If we don't do our jobs, it gives the opportunity for people to criticise when they have not put their heads over the parapet and tried it themselves.''