Mark Hughes says that City fans will see an even better Shaun Wright-Phillips than the one they saw at the start of his career.

The pair faced the media at a press conference at the City of Manchester Stadium on Friday afternoon, where Hughes emphasised that his most recent purchase fits perfectly into his long-term plans for the City squad.

Hughes said, “I am absolutely delighted. I made it clear to Shaun that he was key to what we are trying to do here. We need to attract top quality players, and Shaun certainly is that. It’s vital that we have the ability to bring players like him here.

“We are trying to bring in other players that will compliment what we already have here, but the key was to get Shaun through the door and back where he belongs.

“We have great plans here, this is a huge project that we are trying to get off the floor. The need to get good quality players is obvious because we want to move onto a higher level, and we hope that this is the start of a great journey.”

There are parallels between both player and manager, with Hughes having had two stints at Old Trafford and Wright-Phillips having come back to City, and the Manager’s success with United after going back was something he used while negotiating with the 26-year-old.

“I threw that one in, I did use that analogy! The old adage is that you should never go back, but I’m proof that it can work. I have no doubt that Shaun will be successful here. He’s coming back as a better player, he’s older & wiser and more experienced. He’s played top level games, and that is just what we need.”

It has also been confirmed that Shaun will wear the number eight shirt.