I’m looking forward to finding Jesus - £16m Negredo can answer City's paryers
Posted Saturday, July 20, 2013 by The Sun
THRILLER IN SEVILLA ... Negredo and Navas celebrate
ALVARO NEGREDO is looking forward to finding Jesus again at Manchester City.
Etihad chiefs have confirmed a deal which is worth an initial £16.4million to buy the 27-year-old Spanish striker.
He will be quickly reunited with his Seville amigo Jesus Navas, the jet-heeled winger who made the same move for £15m last month.
And City fans will be praying the pair can forge the same formidable understanding they had in Spain.
Negredo revealed: “I phoned Jesus and Javi Garcia on Thursday morning before the official confirmation of my transfer. They were very happy — and I am too.
“To be team-mates again is great. Jesus is a great guy. He’s a spectacular player and I hope I can keep scoring with his assists here.”
Negredo — who has won 14 caps for Spain and has signed a four-year deal — is nicknamed the ‘Beast of the Vallecas’ back home.
And he believes his style is a perfect fit for the English game, despite playing the whole of his career so far in the Spanish league.
He said: “I always thought this league could be good for my style.
“It’s a very important moment in my career because I am signing for a great club like Manchester City. It’s a dream to be here.
“I am a strong player. Good at headers. I have a powerful shot with my left foot. And I always try to be at the right place.
“I have chosen No 9, it is my favourite number since I was a kid. I have it tattooed. I love it.
“I don’t like to set targets about the number of goals I want to score in a season. I just want to improve. It’ll be great if I improve my numbers from previous seasons.
“I am here to work hard, help my team-mates so that we can become the best we can together. I want to try to lift some trophies here.”
Etihad boss Manuel Pellegrini knows all about Negredo from his nine years managing in Spain and the City new-boy admits he did not need much persuading to sign.
He said: “Pellegrini’s football is very attacking, attractive. He loves to have ball possession, play a passing game. He accomplished great things in Spain so it will be a pleasure to work with him.
“He phoned me and explained to me how he envisioned this project. I really didn’t need much persuading but yes, he was convincing.”
Negredo will compete for a starting spot with Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and another new signing Stevan Jovetic — who also sealed a move to the Etihad on a busy day yesterday.
Negredo added: “Of course, I know the Spanish players but besides those the ones I know best, are Kun Aguero and Edin Dzeko. They are both great players.
“I have played in many systems — with two strikers, sometimes one striker and one attacking midfielder, I have also played as a sole striker and three midfielders behind.”
City’s summer spending spree has soared to around £85m as they added Montenegro international Jovetic, 23, to earlier deals for Navas and £30m Brazilian Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Fiorentina will get an initial £22.4m for their star forward with another £3.5m due in add-ons.
His five seasons in Italy saw him bang in 40 goals from 134 appearances — despite missing all the 2010-11 campaign thanks to a knee ligament injury.
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