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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini admitted after his side's 1-0 defeat at Sunderland that unhappy forwards Robinho and Roque Santa Cruz could be on the move before the transfer window closes today.

Mancini hopes to hang on to Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given who is wanted by Fulham manager Mark Hughes.

But Brazil's Robinho, loaned to Santos in his native country last season, is seeking an escape route and has been linked with Barcelona and clubs in Turkey, while Santa Cruz is another Fulham target.


Mancini confirmed: "I would prefer Shay to stay, but I spoke with Roque and he has two or three situations, and Robinho is the same.

"We have offers for Roque and Robinho, but I don't know whether they will remain with me."

City suffered their first loss of the season, and conceded a goal for the first time, when Darren Bent slotted a stoppage-time penalty underneath England goalkeeper Joe Hart after Micah Richards had fouled the Sunderland striker.


But much of the after-match comment centred on who will be coming and going at the two clubs before the deadline.

Mancini, who has spent around STG130 million (RM635 million) of Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour's vast wealth in the current window, hinted it was unlikely he would add to his squad before the deadline.

But Sunderland manager Steve Bruce wants a striker after selling Kenwyne Jones to Stoke and seeing Fraizer Campbell sustain suspected damaged knee ligaments against City.

Bruce wants Rennes' Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan, but suggested that hopes of reviving his interest in Wigan's French midfielder Charles N'Zogbia could fail because the asking price "might be too rich".

"It looks as if Fraizer has damaged knee ligaments. With that, it's imperative we try to bring a body in because we're short there," Bruce said.

It is over a year since Sunderland last won a league match without Bent scoring and he kept up that trend, much to Mancini's frustration.

Mancini said: "Football is very strange. We played some fantastic football in the first-half and we had three or four great chances, but if you don't score you can lose games like this."