• Premier League

Negredo close to Manchester City move

ESPN staff
July 17, 2013
Alvaro Negredo looks set to join the former Premier League champions © Getty Images
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Sevilla have announced that striker Alvaro Negredo has agreed to sign for Manchester City, subject to a medical.

New City coach Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed his desire to strengthen his attacking options following the departures of Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez, and Spain forward Negredo, 27, is now set to complete a switch to the Etihad Stadium.

Sevilla released a short statement on their official website on Wednesday evening, confirming the deal and announcing that Negredo would say goodbye to the club and his team-mates in a ceremony at the stadium at 19.30 CET, before the squad departs for their tour of South America.

Earlier, president Jose Maria del Nido had confirmed a deal was close.

"We are about to complete the sale of the player and, if everything goes ahead as expected, he will soon say goodbye to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan," Del Nido told the media at a press conference reported on his club's official website.

"Manchester City will buy a great player, the top Spanish goalscorer in La Liga. Sevilla is involved in a major transfer operation, the second largest in the club's history after Dani Alves, and the player will sign the contract of his life.

"Everyone should be happy. It is a good piece of business for all three parties."

The deal is reported to be worth around £20 million up front, with a further £2m in potential add-ons.

If the signing is finalised, Negredo will join up with former Sevilla team-mate Jesus Navas at the Etihad Stadium, who sealed a £14.9m transfer earlier this summer.

And Negredo said he was looking forward to the reunion. "I am happy to be spending another year with him," he said.

City are also reported to be closing in on a deal for Fiorentina forward Stevan Jovetic.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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