Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 10y

Man City sign Eliaquim Mangala

Eliaquim Mangala has finally completed his move to Manchester City, becoming the Premier League champions' sixth signing of the summer.

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The France international centre-back has joined from Porto for 32 million pounds (40 million euros) to end manager Manuel Pellegrini's long pursuit.

City first bid for the 23-year-old in January, and have been closing in on him for much of the summer.

After he underwent a medical in Manchester more than four weeks ago, the club website accidentally broadcast a video that seemed to show him signing for them.

Mangala arrives as a replacement for Joleon Lescott, who was released at the end of last season after five years at the Etihad Stadium.

He provides competition for Martin Demichelis and Matija Nastasic in the battle to partner captain Vincent Kompany.

Mangala becomes the most expensive defender in City's history and their costliest recruit this summer, and will be reunited with midfielder Fernando, a former Porto teammate who joined City for 12 million pounds in July.

"City is a top club in Europe," Mangala told the club's official website. "For me, it was an important step to leave Porto and join Manchester City in order to continue my progress. I want to win titles and I believe I can do this. I am ambitious, and this is why I am here.#INSERT type:inline END#

"I'm very happy to come to England because, for me, the Premier League is the best league in the world. It is a very intense and very aggressive competition. There are plenty of goals, so it is also really nice to watch. I can't wait to get started.

"The fact that Fernando is here is better because I played with him at Porto, but there are also other players that I know, like [Bacary] Sagna, [Gael] Clichy and [Samir] Nasri."

Pellegrini recruited Arsenal right-back Sagna on a free transfer and Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero for 4.4. million pounds to bolster his defensive options, and the manager said: "I'm delighted to have added a player of Eliaquim's quality to the squad ahead of the new season.

"He is already a fine player but, in my opinion, he has all of the mental, physical, technical and tactical attributes to become one of Europe's very best defenders."

Argentine midfielder Bruno Zuculini, regarded as a promising talent for the future, has also arrived, while former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has joined on loan from New York City FC.

City CEO Ferran Soriano said last week that the recruitment of a centre-back would bring an end to the club's summer business, although several fringe players, such as Micah Richards and Scott Sinclair, could leave.#INSERT type:inline END#

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