'Excited' Hughes confirms Dunne interest

Mark Hughes admits he cannot wait for the new season to get started - and has confirmed there is "interest" in defender Richard Dunne.

The Manchester City boss is still to get all the players he wants, with John Terry and Joleon Lescott still top of his hit-list as his array of striking options grow.

Hughes also knows there is plenty of work to do in order to mould the new faces into a formidable team.

However, that August 15 trip to his old club Blackburn cannot come quickly enough as the football world, and City's long-suffering fans in particular, wait to discover whether England's big-spenders can match the hype surrounding them.

"I know I am a little bit deadpan at times but I do get excited," smiled Hughes.

"This is probably the first season when, after a break, I have been really looking forward to getting back.

"You feel a little bit drained after a long hard season and usually wish you could have a couple more weeks but myself and all my staff couldn't wait to get back and get stuck in again."

Little wonder either given the players Hughes will have at his disposal.

Even if no-one else arrived before the September deadline, the Welshman could still look forward to working with Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz and Gareth Barry.

But, in all probability, there will be more new faces.

Emmanuel Adebayor is expected to complete a £25million switch from Arsenal any day soon, a formal bid for Lescott is expected to be lodged with Everton, while Hughes will not give up on the prospect of Terry moving north, even though the England skipper is due to leave for the United States at the start of Chelsea's preparations later on Thursday.

Of course, in addition to new arrivals, some must make way.

Benjani has already been linked with a return to old club Portsmouth, while Craig Bellamy - who only joined City from West Ham last January - is attracting admiring glances from Sunderland, whose manager Steve Bruce might be able to exploit the growing number of Blues strikers with a cheeky bid.

Even before defensive reinforcements have been brought in, skipper Dunne is also being linked with the Black Cats.

However, as he landed in South Africa at the start of a three-match tour, Hughes dismissed suggestions he was about to offload his captain.

"There has been interest in Richard which is to be expected because he is a good player," Hughes told the club's website. "But I have spoken to him already and it is not something on which we are going to dwell.

"We are looking to strengthen all areas and people make assumptions that maybe players we are after will have an effect on those who are already here.

"But we want to make sure the squad is stronger than it was last season."