Zabaleta signs for Man City

Manchester City have signed Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta from Spanish side Espanyol for an undisclosed fee, the club confirmed today.

The 23-year-old full-back has signed a five-year deal at the club after passing a medical at Eastlands.

Zabaleta was part of the Argentina squad that recently won gold at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Manchester City boss Mark Hughes said in a statement on www.mcfc.co.uk: “He’s young and a winner, with an Olympic gold medal to prove that, but more so he will provide us with great balance in the side.

“I’m very happy to bring him here and hopefully we can get a good result at Sunderland to round off what has been a very satisfactory week indeed for us.”

Zabaleta himself said of the move: “I am very happy to come here and play in the Premier League. Playing in England has been a lifelong dream which has finally come true by moving to City.

“I’d met him (Mark Hughes) previously and was really impressed with him, but having talked to him about Manchester City I had to come here and be part of his plans.

“I’m very confident of helping the first team to achieve their goals for the season and after walking around the stadium I can’t wait to play in front of the City fans there. It is very impressive.”

Zabaleta becomes City’s fifth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Jo, Tal Ben Haim, Vincent Kompany and Shaun Wright-Phillips.