The £32.5million British record signing was part of the City side that lost yesterday's Manchester derby at Eastlands, slipping to within three points of the Premier League relegation zone.

Few expect them to stay there, particularly once manager Mark Hughes has been shopping in next month's transfer window.

But Robinho feels it is the minds of City's players rather than the personnel themselves that need to change if the Blues are to become a top flight force.

And while the 24-year-old accepts there is a lot of work to do, he has vowed to help City overcome their problems.

"City have good players but the mentality of a small side," Robinho told Setanta Sports' Football Matters programme, which airs today at 10.15pm.

"They are content with just finishing fifth or sixth. They are content with little, thinking just a draw might be good enough.

"They lack is the mentality of champions.

"I have learnt that being second is worthless so I want to inspire a winning mentality.

"You can only be content with winning. You need to want to beat Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.

"Maybe I have changed this a bit but now City have a project to become big, the mentality has to change."

Robinho cites Chelsea who, thanks to Roman Abramovich's vast wallet, rose to the highest level, from an admittedly higher base, as the example City must follow.

It had been expected Robinho would join the Stamford Bridge outfit from Real Madrid this summer, only for the Spanish giants to refuse any deal.

Disillusioned with life at the Bernabeu, Robinho was left with little alternative other than to accept the offer made by City's Abu Dhabi-based owners, become part of the Blues revolution and end his dream of linking up with former Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari.

"He is one of the best coaches of the world," Robinho said of Scolari.

"Even before his arrival, Chelsea had made me an offer. After his arrival, their interest strengthened.

"I wanted to play there. But Real Madrid wouldn't let me play for them."

Robinho is still not entirely sure why Real refused to do business.

Selling to a Champions League rival may have been a factor. He also feels their pride might have been hurt by the knowledge Robinho T-shirts were being sold to Chelsea fans in anticipation of the potential transfer.

In the end, City offered an escape route Robinho was happy to accept.

The South American has already scored nine goals for his new club and, for all his concerns about the mental state of City's dressing room, has vowed to see out the remainder of his four-year contract.

Providing Robinho honours that pledge, the Blues will look like a very different club when the deal is over to the one they are now.

It is widely anticipated Roque Santa Cruz and Lassana Diarra will be joining from Blackburn and Portsmouth respectively in January.

Robinho is calling for more. And he has his own shopping list for Hughes.

"We have good players but if the club wants to be big, we have to sign more," he said.

"I have suggested Kleber, the Santos left back, Thiago Silva who plays at centre back for Fluminense, who's been playing very well. The coach mentioned Luisao, who is Brazilian and plays for Benfica.

"Who would I sign? If I could choose it would be Kaka and (former Brazil striker) Ronaldo.

"But at this moment the team needs to improve the defence.

"When you build a house you have to start from the floor. You have to start from the bottom, the defence, and then you fix the attack."