Reports in British media have resumed speculating that the Manchester City and Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov is poised to leave the Eastlands en route to White Hart Lane. The Bulgarian was expected to join Tottenham during the summer transfer window but the deal collapsed after City manager Mark Hughes stepped in to axe the transfer.

In the aftermath of the massive reinforcement that occurred at the Eastlands in the summer, the Bulgarian was prepared to part ways with the club, fearing for his long-term future in the north-west of England.

"I don’t see City depending too much on me this year. No footballer is content with polishing the bench and I am no exception," he said in an interview with Bulgarian daily Dnevnik on August 11 2009.

To an extent, Petrov’s words were proven correct and he was hardly ever picked in the starting line-up until a spate of injuries created an opening that he eagerly seized on. Petrov was voted the fans’ player of the month in October, after a string of strong performances and three goals to his name, and he achieved all that predominantly as a sub. The downturn of it all was his latest knee injury, which he sustained on duty with Bulgaria, which will keep him sidelined until December.

Despite Petrov’s form prior to the injury, Hughes is reported to be interested in salvaging what is left of David Bentley’s career and, according to the Daily Mirror, the Welsh manager is ready to fork out eight million pounds sterling and throw in the Bulgarian to sweeten up the deal for Tottenham, Bentley’s current club.

The deal makes sense in that Bentley, aged only 25, played his best under Hughes at Blackburn, so the Welshman would know how to improve the winger’s form. Tottenham, who paid 15 million pounds sterling on Bentley, could be persuaded to accept Petrov as the makeweight in the deal, given their previous interest in signing the Bulgarian.

Silverware aspirations aside, Petrov has said that he cared less about money than playing football regularly when healthy. In the summer, Petrov told Bulgarian media that there were "several inquiries but no solid offers as of yet".

The Bulgarian has been a loyal servant to the City cause ever since his arrival in the summer of 2007 from Atletico Madrid, but it may appear that his days at Eastlands are well and truly numbered. The bottom line is that Petrov wants regular football and Bentley is desperate to salvage his flagging career, having lost his position in the England squad and at Tottenham.

It could be one of those instances when the grass is really greener on the other side for both players, who could both benefit from a fresh start in a new setting.