Exile over as Wright-Philips returns to Blues
The 26-year-old, who had a seven-year spell with City from 1998 until 2005, signed a four-year contract after completing a medical.
Wright-Phillips said: “Obviously I’m delighted to come back to City and I just can’t wait to get started again.”
The winger left City for Stamford Bridge in July 2005, for a fee of £21million (€26 million). However, he started only 43 matches for the Blues and became frustrated at a lack of first-team action.
City boss Mark Hughes said: “I’ve always admired him and he’s certainly been a target of mine since I came to the football club.
“To actually secure the deal and bring Shaun back home is a fantastic coup for us and I’m sure the supporters will be just as excited as we are to have him back at Manchester City.”
Wright-Phillips will be presented to the media at a press conference at the City of Manchester Stadium today.
Wright-Phillips is the adopted son of former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright, who said: “It’s like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The City fans are delighted. It’s the first time I’ve seen him smile properly for ages because he’s going to play football again.
“It’s such great news, I’m delighted for him. I’ve spoken at length to Mark Hughes and now I know he’s going to be playing regularly.
“He needs to hit the ground running and I think in five games we’ll see the Shaun Wright-Phillips that people know.
“He’s not looking to prove anything to anyone — he just wants to play football.”
On his move to Chelsea three years ago, Wright added: “Chelsea blasted everyone else out of the water and paid £10m (€12.4m) more than what Shaun was worth, everybody knows that.
“When that happened you thought ‘gosh, they want him really badly.’ But it didn’t work out.
“I knew he would have to wait to get a chance, you just can’t expect it. But then as time went by I thought ‘well, how come he hasn’t played yet?’
“Then Avram Grant came in and he took on the baton and Shaun still didn’t get a chance, they bought more players and he went further down the pecking order.
“How do you think I felt looking at my son at the Champions League final in Russia and he’s sat there in a suit?
“I asked Shaun what he wanted to do and he said ‘I want to go back to City. That’s where I feel comfortable, that’s where I want to play.
“His first home game for City is against Chelsea. Funny how it works out.”
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