Jesús Navas - Signed

[Bluemoon]

Jesús Navas Has dropped the Biggest Hint Yet That he is Set to Join Manchester City - Not Liverpool.

Sevilla finished ninth in La Liga and have accepted the £25m-rated Spanish winger is set to leave.

Brendan Rodgers wanted to take Navas, 27, to Anfield but the star has come out and nailed his colours to the mast.

Navas said: "I like Manchester City a lot and it has great players.

"Manchester City has done all it can to bring me in and I have to be grateful for that. I want to go on and win trophies."

Navas has spent the whole of his career at Sevilla but has never lifted the league title.

But he has won two UEFA Cups, two Copa del Reys as well as enjoying success with Spain, winning the World Cup and European Championships.

[trautmansdropkick]

Chelsea tried to sign him back in the days when he wouldn't even leave Seville 'cos of his phobia (similar to agraphobia which I'll call 'Sevillaphobia'.

For me this is a 'back to the future' move - we have generally, traditionally played with wingers - I recall guys like, Clarke, Sydenham, Summerbee, Lee, Wagstaffe, Sambrook, Power, S Wright-Phillips etc and it's where Neil Young started playing for us.

It has been obvious all season we needed a wide player or two and needed to change our style of play. With Navas we have a major step in the right direction IMO.

[whistler]

Well said tdk, although I'm not sure we need to change our style so much as vary it. When Zaba, Milner and Clichy have fired in from wide this season it has caused defences to panic and you're spot on when you say we need more of this.

From what the papers say this is a done deal but the lack of an announcement worries me. Presumably we are waiting for the manager to agree final terms before naming new players otherwise the press will make a big deal out of the fact that these players were not chosen by the manager - and every time they are dropped they will question the harmony in the dressing room (as usual).

I read today also that Fernandinho is signing - again I'd like to hear this from the club!

[trautmansdropkick]

One thing that the club seem to have done, under the ADUG era, is wait until players are actually signed before officially announcing it on the web page and then holding a press sonference to introduce the player. Like you, I feel the club may be waiting to confirm the manager first and the players may well be introduced by him.
Also, this apparent delay in showing Pellegrini does not concern me, as he has only finished his final game at Malaga last weekend and, who knows, maybe he (or his wife etc) have a birthday, anniversary or family wedding, or pre-booked holiday, it may well be something more devious, like Pellegrini is just a smoke sceen for someone else. (Doubt it though).

[Bluemoon]

Manchester City FC Are Delighted to Announce the Signing of
Jesus Navas From Sevilla

The 27-year-old right winger has completed a medical in New York and will meet up with the Blues squad after the Confederations Cup and a short holiday.

Navas has so far won 23 caps for Spain, helping his country to win the 2010 World Cup and the European Championships two years later.

At club level he made 393 appearances for Sevilla scoring 34 goals over the past nine seasons and has won six major trophies.

Jesus met with recently appointed New York City FC Director of Football Claudio Reyna in the Big Apple where Navas was presented with his new colours.

Speaking of his move, Navas said: “Manchester City is an exciting project and this is the right moment for me to take this step. I'm very happy with the opportunity and the decision.


“The Premier League is a competition where the football is very fast and will suit the way I play. I'm really looking forward to it.

“City have been successful in recent years and are continuing to make agreat team and I’m honoured to nowbe part of it."

“I'm going to a great club in England and I want to continue developing my game there. The Club has put a lot of faith in me and I want to repay them out on the pitch.”

Jesus Navas...


The 27-year-old can boast an extensive medal collection, winning two UEFA Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, two Copa Del Rey titles and the Spanish Super Cup during his time at Sevilla.

He also has World Cup and European Championship medals with Spain.

After joining Sevilla’s youth system at the age of 15, he was handed his senior debut just two years later – coming off the bench against Espanyol in November 2003.

A sprinkling of first team appearances followed that season, alongside a regular place for Seville B in Spain’s third tier.

Boss Joaquin Caparros had seen enough and the youngster earned a promotion to the first team the following season.

Clubs across Europe were finally alerted to his talents during the UEFA Cup campaign of 2006, when the winger played in all 12 of Sevilla’s matches on the road to lifting the trophy.

Navas will also bring his Champions League experience to the Etihad Stadium, enjoying a season in the competition in 2009, when he scored twice and recorded three assists in just eight appearances.

City supporters will have their first opportunity to watch the Club’s newest recruit in action alongside new teammate David Silva when Spain take on Ireland at the Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night.