8 July 2014 11:35
Manchester City have finalised the singing of Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero on a three-year deal.
After much speculation surrounding the transfer, it was announced on Tuesday that the 32-year-old had joined the reigning Premier League champions.
Caballero represents City’s third signing of the close-season, after the arrivals of Fernando from Porto and Arsenal’s Bacary Sagna, reuniting the goalkeeper with former Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini.
He told the club’s official website: “I am very happy, and really looking forward to the start of pre-season and performing well to help the team.
“This is a new challenge and a new league for me. I have been doing well in the previous years and my goal is to go on and hopefully perform at the same level for City.
“I know I am coming to a big club with a very good goalkeeper. City already have a great goalkeeper in Joe Hart, but I will try and compete for the no.1 spot. I will do my best in the training sessions.”
Caballero spent four seasons at Malaga, after a seven-year spell at Elche, and links up with three fellow-Argentines in the squad.
Martin Demichelis was previously a team-mate at Malaga, while Pablo Zabaleta and Sergio Aguero make up the remainder of the Argentinian contingent at the Etihad Stadium.
“The most beautiful moments of my career were under Manuel Pellegrini in Malaga, where we achieved big things and we made Malaga’s name known around Europe,” Caballero added.
“As for my new team-mates, I have a very good relationship with Martin Demichelis, but I’ve never met Pablo Zabaleta and Sergio Aguero.
“It’s something I’m looking forward to. For me it is very good to have people from Argentina in the squad because I think it will be very helpful.
“I spoke to Roque Santa Cruz and Demichelis, and they told me that Manchester is a very beautiful city and very welcoming, so that will be great for my family and I can’t wait to enjoy it.
“I’ve always loved the Premier League, I watched it as a child and I always liked the style of play here. Hopefully we can have many happy times together.”