Manchester City boss Mark Hughes has went public over his pursuit of England skipper John Terry and urged the Chelsea defender to move to Eastlands to 're-ignite' his career.

Fresh from sealing the £25.5milllion capture of Argentine forward Carlos Tevez, Hughes has now switched his attention to luring Terry away from Stamford Bridge in what would undoubtedly be one of the transfers of the decade.

Despite having a £30million bid for the 28-year-old rejected by the Blues, City are refusing to give up their relentless pursuit of the centre-half after being encouraged by Terry's apparent refusal to say publicly that he wants to stay at his one and only club.

Terry is understood to be seriously tempted by City - and wages of £200,000 a week - and Hughes believes the defender may need to join City for a new challenge at this stage of his career.

"We would like to think we could offer him a different challenge," said Hughes.

"From my own experience, when you have been with a club a long time, you maybe get to a point when you need a new challenge, when you think a change of scenery would just re-ignite certain things within you.

"It is not a question of money. It's about a different challenge, a different stage in his life and career, and maybe that's why there hasn't been a response because John is seriously thinking in those terms.

"I went through that process myself and I can understand if that is the way he is thinking.

"We made an offer to Chelsea and I've made known my feelings about John Terry.

"He's an outstanding player and an outstanding person. We'd like the opportunity to speak to him but as yet that hasn't been forthcoming."