If the rumours are to be believed, Mark Hughes is set to make Wayne Bridge his first January transfer window signing.

But at what cost?

On top of a £12 million fee, Bridge is set to pocket a £30,000 a week pay rise in a deal worth £5.2 million a season. Perhaps this is Manchester City sending out a message to the rest of the football world – we mean business. But everyone thought Chelsea had unlimited funds, and yes it took three or four seasons, but now they have had to cutback and try to work to a budget. Considering Chelsea actually won league titles and had Champions League football to count on, how long realistically can Manchester City’s owners afford to overpay for average players like this?

Yes they are richer than Roman Abramovich by some distance but they will not tolerate just losing money every season – businessmen get rich by making money not by giving it away. Wayne Bridge is not a terrible player but he is not going to bring Champions League football or silverware to Eastlands, and at £5.2 million per season his wages will only increase jealously and resentment within the squad.

Can Mark Hughes keep his squad together?