KEY POINTS:
The lavish overhaul of Manchester City is gathering pace as Sven Goran Eriksson beat Tottenham to the signature of Martin Petrov and confirmed he is only midway through a spending spree totalling £17 million in the 21 days since he returned to English football.
Bulgarian international Petrov became
Eriksson's fourth signing when he signed a three-year contract within hours of arriving in Manchester to discuss personal terms. The 28-year-old staggered long-time suitors Spurs with the speed of his negotiations with City.
Although the deal has been officially valued at £4.7m, the fee is likely to rise towards the £6m mark as Atletico Madrid recoup part of their £13.4m outlay on the Benfica winger Simao Sabrosa.
Eriksson was flanked by Petrov and Brazilian free signing Geovanni at a hastily convened press conference at which he acted as interpreter.
Eriksson spoke Portuguese to the Brazilian and Spanish to the Bulgarian and was credited as the decisive factor in the left winger's decision to reject Uefa Cup football at White Hart Lane.
"The Premier League is the best league in the world but the main reason I have joined Manchester City is because of the manager," insisted Petrov, who joins £9m Rolando Bianchi, £2m Swiss midfielder Gelson Fernandes and Geovanni at a club that has acted with haste since the completion of Thaksin Shinawatra's controversial takeover.
The City manager wants another four players on board before the start of the new season, with £8m-rated Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini next in line.
"There will be more players," confirmed Eriksson. "It is a big job but it is also a big club and a big project. I am happy to have that. Everything is a bit hectic at the moment but we need to be ready."
Chiellini appeals to Eriksson as he can operate in central defence or left back, two areas City need to strengthen. Seville's Serbian defender Ivica Dragutinovic is a possible alternative should a deal for the Italian international stall.
Eriksson remains in the market for another striker despite the capture of former Reggina forward Bianchi and still hopes to conclude a £10m deal for Olympiakos' Nery Castillo, although the Greek club are reluctant to sell the Mexican international who impressed at the recent Copa America. Towering Serbian centre forward Nikola Zigic, of Racing Santander, has also been discussed by the City hierarchy but the more favoured option is Middlesbrough's Aiyegbeni Yakubu.
In midfield, Nantes' Emerse Fae has emerged as a likely candidate to strengthen a department weakened by the loss of Joey Barton, while Liverpool's Scott Carson is Eriksson's preferred option for a new goalkeeper and the only English-born player currently in the sights of the former national team coach.
"English players are on my list and a lot of people are working hard for us to get them but Manchester City are not the only club looking to buy players and English players are more expensive," the manager explained.
- The Independent