Hughes: I'm proud of my transfer record at Eastlands

(PA)

Mark Hughes has defended his transfer record at Manchester City, insisting he brought three of their best players to the club. Hughes will return to Eastlands for the first time since he was sacked just over a year ago, when his current club Fulham face City tomorrow.

But Hughes yesterday rejected suggestions his transfer policy had been flawed, saying: "We had to very quickly move in the market and bring in better players and stronger players, and that's what we did.

"If you look at the City side now, I would suggest some of their main performers, and strongest, are the likes of Vincent Kompany, Nigel de Jong and Carlos Tevez. They've had a huge impact for City.

"Along the way, some purchases haven't worked for whatever reasons, not really in terms of the ability those players have, but because of circumstances and the thinking of the management team and the coaches."