Manchester City's new signing Robinho has parted company with the agent who brokered his British record £32m move from Real Madrid to Eastlands. Wagner Ribeiro negotiated the Brazil international's move to Manchester, as well as his reported £160,000 weekly wage packet, but was highly criticised in the Spanish media and by the Spanish champions for allegedly putting pressure on his client to leave Madrid. Robinho's father Gilvan de Souza, will now take over as the 22-year-old's agent.
"I am thankful for everything Wagner [Ribeiro] has done for my career up to this moment," Robinho said via a statement on his official website. "But our work cycle has come to an end, and this is the moment for each one to go his separate ways. I have new targets for my career with Manchester City and the time has come to have my father [Gilvan de Souza] by my side, having a direct participation in my decisions."
Ribeiro had been Robinho's agent since 2002 and negotiated his then Brazilian record transfer when he signed for Madrid in 2005 for £16.5m. The pair agreed the terms of their departure during a meeting in Brazil on Wednesday after Mark Hughes had given his new signing special dispensation to return to Brazil to sort out personal matters.