The clues were in the knowledge that Mark Hughes had still to receive the obligatory message of congratulations from Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, last night.

One explanation for the oversight is that, with the Barclays Premier League trophy and European Cup safely under lock and key at Old Trafford, Ferguson is having so much fun relaxing on his sun-lounger in the South of France — albeit interrupted yesterday by further indications that Cristiano Ronaldo is angling for a summer move to Real Madrid — that news of yet more managerial upheaval at Manchester City was incidental.

The alternative scenario is that Ferguson may have acknowledged privately that, at the sixteenth attempt, City have finally found the man to steal some of his thunder and that a manager so promising and brimming with as much self-belief as Hughes needs no glad tidings.

Ferguson knows all about Hughes. He was the man he charged with leading his attack at Old Trafford for seven years, after all, but even the grand old man of British football could not have failed to be impressed by the former Blackburn Rovers manager upon his presentation at City yesterday.

So many City managers have come and gone during Ferguson’s 21½-year reign at Old Trafford that it has become a running joke, but the message from Hughes rang loud and clear: this is a man who means business and one who intends to stick around.

The questions came thick and fast, but Hughes responded to them all with wit and effortless ease. Beneath those softly spoken tones lies a steely determination and it shines through. City may have been working on a list of transfer targets, including Jô and Ronaldino, the Brazil forwards, but Hughes was adamant that the only players who will be signed by the club are the ones he says that he wants.

It helps that he has given his approval to the pursuit of Jô, whose club-record £18 million transfer from CSKA Moscow will be concluded early next week, and Ronaldinho, but Hughes will be no one’s puppet.

He appeared unfazed by the prospect of working for an owner in Thaksin Shinawatra, whose unpredictability and ruthlessness was evident from the manner in which he dismissed Sven-Göran Eriksson. “I can’t be afraid of making the leap into the unknown,” Hughes said. “I want to be tested. At Blackburn, I raised the expectation myself. At City, that expectation is always there. That’s a huge thing for me. As a player I was used to that. There’s a crackle of atmosphere before games. That’s what I want again. It’s an energy I thrive on.”

Hughes, though, did emphasise the importance of stability. “Continuity enables you to be successful,” he said. “That’s a given and this club hasn’t had that for some time. It is very difficult if you are making changes, not only on the management side, but within the club as well, to have a sustained period of success. If we get it here, though, the roof will go off the place.

“You can’t ask a chairman, ‘Even if I have poor results, will you still keep me?’ That’s not going to happen. It’s impossible to ask for those terms. What I ask for is the resources to do my job and the flexibility to take the team and the club in the direction I want to go.”

Neither is likely to be a problem as Hughes gets to grips with a £50 million-plus transfer budget, although one of his first tasks will be to persuade Richard Dunne, the captain, to stay at the club before he attempts to offload the dead wood and sign new players.

A meeting with Dunne will be held today, but, given the glowing reference that the Ireland defender gave Hughes yesterday, the club are hoping that he will commit his long-term future to City.

Heading for the exit

Andreas Isaksson Signed for £2 million in 2006, City will hope to recoup most of the money.

Rolando Bianchi There is a growing acceptance that City may have to take a hit on the player signed by Sven-Göran Eriksson for £9 million last summer.

Bernardo Corradi Signed for a projected £2 million by Stuart Pearce, Eriksson’s predecessor, the forward is expected to find another club this summer.

Georgios Samaras Another of Pearce’s flops, City hope to get at least the £3 million that they owe SC Heerenveen for the player.

Danny Mills Would be available for a nominal fee, although he is likely to go out on loan again.

Emile Mpenza Signed as a free agent, the Belgium striker is surplus to requirements.