Valencia's Silva goes to City
Source: Agencies |
July 1, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SPAIN midfielder David Silva will join Manchester City after the World Cup on a four-year contract, the English Premier League club said yesterday.
City has reached agreement with the 24-year-old's Spanish club Valencia, which confirmed the move, pending a medical. Spanish media reported the deal was worth about 32 million euros (US$39.16 million) although no financial details were given in the announcement on City's Website.
"The player's advisers and officials from both clubs have finalized the details ... he will complete his medical and officially become a City player once his involvement in the World Cup is over," the world's richest soccer club said.
The pacy left-footer has been a potent force at Valencia and at international level with teammate David Villa, Spain's goalscorer in its World Cup second-round victory over Iberian neighbor Portugal on Tuesday.
The money will be welcome for Valencia, which has qualified for the Champions League but is in a dire financial situation and has already sold Villa to Barcelona for 40 million euros.
"The time is right for me to seek a new challenge, and I am thrilled about playing in England with Manchester City," the City Website quoted Silva as saying from Spain's World Cup base in South Africa.
"I believe the Premier League is one of the best competitions in the world and I want to bring success to City and win trophies for them."
City manager Roberto Mancini expects Silva, who has been with Valencia for six years, to make a "big, big impact."
City hasn't won a trophy since the 1976 League Cup, and was last crowned English champion in 1968.
"David Silva is one of the best midfielders in Europe," Mancini said. "In signing David, we are showing the world that we are bringing the best players here and that we hope to compete to win the Premier League."
City has splurged hundreds of millions of dollars on new players since being bought by Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour in September 2008.
But despite that spending spree, City could finish only fifth last season - missing out on Champions League qualification.
City started strengthening its squad this offseason by signing defender Jerome Boateng from Hamburg for a reported US$15 million.
City captain Kolo Toure's brother, the Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure, is also being chased in a deal that could cost 30 million euros, the Spanish champion said this week.
Red Hodgson
Meanwhile, Liverpool is reportedly close to hiring Fulham's Roy Hodgson as manager.
Several British newspapers agree that Liverpool will later in the day announce the arrival of the man who guided unfashionable Fulham to this season's Europa League final.
Rafael Benitez left Liverpool this month after last season's Premier League runner-up slumped to seventh place.
The 62-year-old Hodgson saved Fulham from seemingly certain relegation in 2008 after returning to his native England, and guided the west London club to an all-time best seventh place a year later. Fulham dipped to 12th this season but made it to only the second major final in the club's 131-year history before losing 1-2 to Atletico Madrid.
In a 34-year coaching career, Hodgson has had spells in England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and Italy, where he was twice in charge of Inter.
City has reached agreement with the 24-year-old's Spanish club Valencia, which confirmed the move, pending a medical. Spanish media reported the deal was worth about 32 million euros (US$39.16 million) although no financial details were given in the announcement on City's Website.
"The player's advisers and officials from both clubs have finalized the details ... he will complete his medical and officially become a City player once his involvement in the World Cup is over," the world's richest soccer club said.
The pacy left-footer has been a potent force at Valencia and at international level with teammate David Villa, Spain's goalscorer in its World Cup second-round victory over Iberian neighbor Portugal on Tuesday.
The money will be welcome for Valencia, which has qualified for the Champions League but is in a dire financial situation and has already sold Villa to Barcelona for 40 million euros.
"The time is right for me to seek a new challenge, and I am thrilled about playing in England with Manchester City," the City Website quoted Silva as saying from Spain's World Cup base in South Africa.
"I believe the Premier League is one of the best competitions in the world and I want to bring success to City and win trophies for them."
City manager Roberto Mancini expects Silva, who has been with Valencia for six years, to make a "big, big impact."
City hasn't won a trophy since the 1976 League Cup, and was last crowned English champion in 1968.
"David Silva is one of the best midfielders in Europe," Mancini said. "In signing David, we are showing the world that we are bringing the best players here and that we hope to compete to win the Premier League."
City has splurged hundreds of millions of dollars on new players since being bought by Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour in September 2008.
But despite that spending spree, City could finish only fifth last season - missing out on Champions League qualification.
City started strengthening its squad this offseason by signing defender Jerome Boateng from Hamburg for a reported US$15 million.
City captain Kolo Toure's brother, the Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure, is also being chased in a deal that could cost 30 million euros, the Spanish champion said this week.
Red Hodgson
Meanwhile, Liverpool is reportedly close to hiring Fulham's Roy Hodgson as manager.
Several British newspapers agree that Liverpool will later in the day announce the arrival of the man who guided unfashionable Fulham to this season's Europa League final.
Rafael Benitez left Liverpool this month after last season's Premier League runner-up slumped to seventh place.
The 62-year-old Hodgson saved Fulham from seemingly certain relegation in 2008 after returning to his native England, and guided the west London club to an all-time best seventh place a year later. Fulham dipped to 12th this season but made it to only the second major final in the club's 131-year history before losing 1-2 to Atletico Madrid.
In a 34-year coaching career, Hodgson has had spells in England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and Italy, where he was twice in charge of Inter.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
