Manchester City captain Richard Dunne has admitted the arrival of Mark Hughes as manager could tempt him to stay at Eastlands.

The 28-year-old has been strongly linked with Tottenham and Portsmouth this summer and was last week reported to be all set for a £5million move to Fratton Park.

Former boss Sven-Goran Eriksson's long-expected departure, confirmed on Monday, was thought to be a factor in the defender's discontent.

But following yesterday's confirmation of the highly-rated Hughes' appointment as Eriksson's successor, Dunne admits he could be ready to stay ahead of a crucial meeting with the club's new executive chairman Garry Cook tomorrow.

Dunne told the Manchester Evening News: "It was disappointing that Sven had to leave, but in Mark Hughes we have got an exciting young manager who has done particularly well at Blackburn.

"Premier League experience does count for a lot and he has proved that he can mix it with the best over the last few seasons.

"No team ever relished going to Ewood Park when he was in charge. They established themselves as a top-10 side and did well in the cups too."
 
He added: "I will have to wait and see now which way the club is going to go. There is certainly the need for some stability."

Dunne was briefly a team-mate of Hughes' at Everton and he is confident the Welshman can be a major success at the City of Manchester Stadium.

"I know from speaking to players who have been in his side that he is a disciplined and highly-regarded coach, and that bodes well for the club," he said.

"I had a season with him at Goodison when I was just breaking into the side and he was always a great professional who made time to speak to people and give them advice, and he has taken to management really well."