Samir Nasri meets Manchester City's fans after signing for the club.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Manchester City has announced the signing of Samir Nasri from Arsenal
- It's the fourth big-money signing to join City this transfer window
- Meanwhile Chelsea sign Spain winger Juan Mata from Valencia
- Mata likely to make EPL debut against Norwich City Saturday
Two of the off-season's longest-running transfer sagas were finally concluded when French international Samir Nasri signed for Manchester City, while winger Juan Mata agreed to leave Valencia for Chelsea.
Nasri -- who signed for Arsenal in 2008 from Olympique Marseille -- signed a four-year deal, making him City's fourth big-money capture of the current transfer window following the arrivals of Gael Clichy, Sergio Aguero and Stefan Savic.
"I think he is a fantastic player because he has technique [and a good] mentality," Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini told the club's official web site.
"I know him from when he played for Marseille because I followed him when I was at Inter...but in the last four years in the Premier League he improved a lot and now I think he's a top player."
It's a big relief. It was a long, long negotiation
--Samir Nasri
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The move took place a few hours before an injury-hit Arsenal met Udinese in a crucial European Champions League second leg qualification match.
The Gunners take a slender 1-0 lead to Italy. If Nasri had played he would have been ineligible to appear in Manchester City's own Champions League campaign, potentially jeopardizing the move.
"It's a big relief. It was a long, long negotiation," Nasri said in an interview, also with the club's official web site.
"Now I am City player which is what I wanted from the start."
"I was a little frustrated, I told the [Arsenal] manager [Arsene Wenger] I wanted to leave... Today is a big day for me. It is a new start."
In west London, Chelsea announced that they too had signed one of Europe's most coveted wide players with the capture of Spanish international Juan Mata.
The 23 year old -- who has already won 11 caps for the world champions -- trained with the squad and will be available for Saturday's English Premier League match against Norwich City.
"Right from the first moment there have been good feelings all around me," Mata told Chelsea's official web site.
"Valencia was a big club anyway but I have left to join a bigger club and it is all about the opportunity to win trophies and I have that here."
