City sign Olympic champion

Updated 13.14 Sun Aug 31 2008
Keywords: espanyol, pablo zabaleta, mark hughes, manchester city, premier league, sport, football

Manchester City have signed Argentina international Pablo Zabaleta from Espanyol.

The 23-year-old full-back was part of the squad that beat Nigeria 1-0 in the Olympic final last week and he has signed a five-year contract with the Premier League club.

"He is young and a winner with an Olympic gold medal to prove that" - Pablo Zabaleta

City manager Mark Hughes said: "He's young and a winner, with an Olympic gold medal to prove that, but more so he will provide us with great balance in the side.

"I'm very happy to bring him here and hopefully we can get a good result at Sunderland to round off what has been a very satisfactory week indeed for us."

Zabaleta becomes City's fifth signing of the summer follwing Jo, Tal Ben Haim, Vincent Kompany and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Zabaleta said: "I am very happy to come here and play in the Premier League. Playing in England has been a lifelong dream which has finally come true by moving to City."

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