MICHEL Salgado has told mega-rich Manchester City ‘you need to build some history’ after warning them their bid to conquer the world is still very much a work in progress.

The former Spanish international is well qualified to talk about what it takes to succeed, having won everything during a 10-year stint at Real Madrid, but believes City are a long way off repeating any of his Bernabeu glories.

The 34-year-old will line up at right back for Blackburn Rovers at the City of Manchester Stadium this afternoon in the rare role of the underdog, with their opponents making a bold attempt to buy the Premier League title this summer.

While Rovers have spent nothing on transfer fees since the end of last season, City have splashed more than £100million on their squad, but Salgado insists the money won’t bring instant success.

He said: “It depends on the character of the players but normally top players prefer to play for Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Liverpool, than play for Manchester City.

“Manchester City don’t have top, top players. We’re talking about David Silva, Mario Balotelli, they can be top players but they aren’t top players now like Figo or Zidane. There’s a big difference.

“But maybe in the future it is going to be different, maybe it is going to change. For sure they will have to win trophies to do that. You have to build a history.

“Manchester City is so different to Real Madrid. They are starting. The only problem is that if they put pressure on themselves right now they could have a problem.

“Real Madrid was a historic club, Manchester City are a fashionable club. That is a big difference at the moment.”

Manchester City fans have enjoyed a whirlwind last couple of years with their current squad costing more than £300m to assemble and an almost revolving door policy in the transfer market.

Big-money signings like Roque Santa Cruz and Jo, who cost more than £30m alone, now find themselves on the periphery while a string of big-name stars are struggling for first team spots.

Salgado was at Madrid when the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham helped form the ‘Galacticos’ side but he insists the difference with City is they are having to move too fast.

“That is the only problem I can see for Manchester City and maybe the pressure in the future,” said Salgado. “When you are in the construction it is very difficult to make everything fit.

“That is the only problem Mancini is going to have, to keep all the players happy. That is the problem when you have great players.

“But if you want to win a title you need big players, top players and that is the point. You have to deal with that. Real Madrid is the same problem, you have to battle every day to try to be in the line-up it is like that. If Manchester City want to be a top club they have to deal with that.

“The difference is that when we won three Champions Leagues in five years, won four leagues, almost everything, we had a team. After that we signed Figo, then Zidane, Ronaldo, Owen and in the fourth year Beckham.

“We had a team and we were winning before then so it was easy for them. They need time to build a team and it’s very important that the manager tries to deal with that little by little.”

While Salgado is adamant Manchester City they still have a way to go before they are challenging for the top honours, he admits their new-found millions have set them on their way.

He insists money does now talk but believes the Premier League has at least retained the competitiveness that is now lacking in his homeland.

He said: “The most important thing is to try and be a big club is to have money and now they have money in a difficult moment. There is a big crisis in the world, even in football. As you can see the Spanish league is so different, the level is coming down year by year.

“The clubs don’t have money to sign players and the difference between Barcelona and Madrid and the others is so big. Maybe 30 or 40 points.

“Only Real Madrid or Barcelona can afford to battle for Europe. If you remember a few years ago, we had Deportivo, Seville, Valencia who had a chance.

“The difference between Spain and England is the TV put money into England. There is also the difference in Asia. Asia is a good way for the Premier League clubs to earn money, but it isn’t in Spain.

“The difference is really big because the Premier League in my opinion is more exciting and more tight. As you can see Wigan lost their first two games and in their third game they beat Tottenham away. In Spain it is very different.

“The difference in football now though is the money and Manchester City have the money.”