MANCHESTER - MANCHESTER City has been warned that its newfound wealth will inflate transfer prices, but Mark Hughes is still gloating about his team's financial clout over crosstown rival Manchester United ahead of Sunday's 150th derby encounter.

Far from being modest about the Abu Dhabi riches at his disposal, Hughes can see no reason why Kaka, who has won World Cup, Champions League and Serie A titles, would not want to join a club without a major title since 1968.

Hughes had been encouraged by the 26-year-old Kaka saying earlier this week that he wants to play in England and had been sounding out fellow Brazilians Robinho and Elano about City.

'Every top player in the world at some point in their career would like to play in the Premier League, that's a given because it's the strongest league in the world,' Hughes said on Friday.

'We are obviously an option now. Maybe three months ago the top players in the world would not even consider coming to Manchester City because of our circumstances and maybe because our means are not as great as they are now.

'So people talk about us being able to attract top players and we have the resources to do that.' Sheikh Mansour made sure of that when the Abu Dhabi royalty bought the club from Thaksin Shinawatra in September, and immediately bankrolled the purchase of Brazil forward Robinho for a British record 32.5 million pounds (then US$51million, euro40 million, S$77 million).

'What I'm looking to do is bring in top quality players that will help the quality players I already have here,' Hughes said.

'It's about getting the balance and makeup of the squad correct and if we can do that with top quality players we can only get better.

'We are trying to build a club that will sustain success in the future and that takes time ... It's always interesting when top players talk about situations at people's clubs, but you will have to wait and see.'

Confidence has been buoyed going into Sunday's clash against Hughes' former side United after beating Arsenal last weekend, and Thursday's victory over Schalke which clinched City's qualification for the UEFA Cup knockout phase.

European and English champion United, meanwhile, has drawn its last two games 0-0 and is eight points adrift leaders Chelsea and Liverpool.

But Hughes doesn't hide the fact that he is out to steal the Red Devils' crown as kings of world football.

'It's a bigger derby because of the changing circumstances of ourselves,' Hughes said. 'Manchester United is obviously a huge world power in football and we are nowhere near that at this moment in time, but we have the potential and the aim is to try and compete with United on all fronts.

'Arguably that's why the derby this weekend is bigger than it has ever been.' At Blackburn, Hughes won two of his seven league matches against former manager Alex Ferguson before joining City in the offseason.

United winger Ryan Giggs is wary of City after United lost twice to them last season for the first time in 38 years.

'I don't know what the reasons are - anything can happen in derbies,' Giggs said. 'They've had some quality players over the last few years, they had some luck last season, especially at their place - at Old Trafford they probably deserved to win.

'But you have to take your chances and hope you get the rub of the green.' Chelsea, which City has eclipsed as the league's wealthiest club, will be looking to stay top of the league with a victory over embattled Arsenal on Sunday. Liverpool, which trails the Blues on goal difference, hosts West Ham on Monday.

Also Sunday, Portsmouth hosts Blackburn and Tottenham hosts Everton.

Aston Villa hosts Fulham on Saturday, when Newcastle is at Middlesbrough, Hull is at Stoke, Bolton is at Sunderland, and West Bromwich Albion is at Wigan. -- AP