Mark Hughes today said he is being kept fully informed of progress being made in Manchester City's audacious move for Kaka - and denied the £100million deal was dead.

It appeared the City staff were being left in the dark when Hughes' assistant manager Mark Bowen carried out a radio interview in Wales claiming the transfer was moving closer when, minutes later, a supposedly informed source in the United Arab Emirates was claiming the bid for Kaka had been abandoned.

While some City fans might privately be quite glad if such a scenario was true - as it would allow their club to pursue more modest, but far more important, signings - Hughes is adamant the proposal to sign Kaka from AC Milan is still on the table.

"I saw those reports," said City manager Hughes. "You have to bear in mind the people who have been given a platform do not represent (owner) Sheikh Mansour or (chairman) Khaldoon (Al Mubarak).

"I do not think they should be given a platform because what they are saying is completely untrue. Negotiations are still taking place."

Hughes confirmed executive chairman Garry Cook led a deputation that flew to Italy earlier in the week for talks with AC Milan officials.

City insiders have previously claimed the discussions went as well as the Blues could possibly hope and Cook returned to England quietly optimistic a deal could be completed.

Hughes is fully supportive of the prospective transfer, backing up other claims that this week's meeting was not the first contact between the two parties.

"It would be naive to think I was not involved," he said.

"I have a complete understanding of what is happening. This is not something we have just arrived at this week.

"It has been well-documented that we have expressed an interest in signing him."