The 26-year-old joined Santos in his homeland last January on a loan deal that is due to expire in mid August.

"This is my home. I hope I can stay, but it depends on Manchester City," Robinho was quoted as saying in the Daily Mail.

"I hope this is not my last game here but, for now, what I have been told is that they [the negotiations] are on a standstill and that I have to go back to Manchester."

The big-spending City strengthened their squad with four signings in the close season.

They acquired the services of Spanish winger David Silva, Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure, German defender Jerome Boateng and Serbian full-back Aleksandar Kolarov.