On the day the billionaire businessman at the centre of the City takeover set his sights on signing Manchester United's Ronaldo, Robinho vowed to prove a big hit at Eastlands.

Last night he became the most expensive signing by a British club when City spent £32.4million to bring in the 24-year-old from Real Madrid, and today Robinho met manager Mark Hughes.

Robinho told www.mcfc.co.uk: "I knew that Manchester City is a very big club, there's a great team there already and this is an exciting project.

"I liked the project, and when City made the offer to Real Madrid, I decided to come here. I liked the plans that Manchester City have and I want to succeed with them."

The Abu Dhabi United Group have announced grand plans for City to become the world's biggest club, which would be no mean feat, not least because neighbours Manchester United, who have a claim on that title already, are English and European champions.

Robinho has bought into their ambitious plan though and is enjoying the response to his signing by the City fans, who have been buying up tickets and club merchandise throughout the day.

"That makes me very, very happy, and I want to repay this excitement by performing on the pitch, and scoring a lot of goals for the fans," he said.

Robinho confirmed the presence of his international team-mates Jo and Elano at City was a factor in his decision to sign, even though Chelsea appeared a more likely destination at the start of transfer deadline day.

Hughes, who had a playing spell in Spain with Barcelona, has spoken to his new signing and Robinho is keen to work with the former Blackburn and Wales manager.

"I met with the manager today and it went very well," said Robinho.

"I know that he was a great player and I think that will be a big help to me. I want to help the manager and the team to win the Premier League, that's my ambition here."

Former City chairman Francis Lee, meanwhile, is confident the incoming owners will show faith in Hughes and give him every chance to show he is the right man to take the club forward, rather than bringing in a superstar manager.

"I don't think he's under any great pressure," Lee told BBC Radio Five Live.

"He's just arrived here as manager, he's getting to know the players, he's a very competent manager and he's proved that at international level too.

"I think they'll just let him get on with it and see where we go.

"I think with his skill and enthusiasm for the club he'll take it forward."

Lee, a club legend from his playing days, was City chairman from 1994 to 1998, while the club were at their former home Maine Road.

The sudden change in their fortunes, following the Arab approach, has taken him aback.

"It's quite amazing really," said Lee. "All of a sudden Manchester City is the richest club in the world."

He is looking forward to the success which the new owners are targeting, but said: "I think people have got to be patient and not expect it to happen overnight.

"If we got into (the Champions League) this season it would be an exceptional performance but I would think next year it would be pretty much a sure thing."

Lee has also worked in horse-racing and has seen the Arab influence in that sport. He expects further investment from Arab businessmen in the Barclays Premier League.

He said: "I think the Arabs will invest in one of the Liverpool clubs and probably one in London and that will be about it."

Billionaire Sulaiman Al-Fahim and his partners from the Abu Dhabi United Group claim they are serious with their stated aim of making City the world's number one team.

Discussing the possible move for Ronaldo, Al-Fahim told The Guardian: "Ronaldo has said he wants to play for the biggest club in the world, so we will see in January if he is serious.

"Real Madrid were estimating his value at 160 million (US) dollars (£90million) but for a player like that, to actually get him, will cost a lot more; I would think 240 million dollars (£135million).

"But why not? We are going to be the biggest club in the world, bigger than both Real Madrid and Manchester United.

"We're not just going to spend money on anyone, but if we can get the biggest players in the world, and of course if the manager wants them, then we will get them.

"We want a team who can win the Champions League."

The newspaper's website also reported that Al-Fahim has confirmed his interest in Liverpool's Fernando Torres and Arsenal lynchpin Cesc Fabregas and is looking to acquire a "minimum" of 18 new players.

Al-Fahim tonight told ITN News At Ten the plan was not to change English football as a whole, but to transform City's fortunes.

"We're going to change Manchester City forever, not change the whole football," he said.

"There is a lot of other rich clubs in the Premier league and I think an extra team like Man City to compete against Chelsea, Liverpool, Man United, will add value to the whole tournament.

"I am a fan of the Premier League itself and from today onwards I will be a fan of Man City."