Manchester: Manchester City signed Spain winger David Silva on a four-year deal from Valencia on Wednesday as it embarks on another offseason of big spending to end a 35-year title drought.
The 24-year-old Silva, who rose through the youth ranks at Valencia, will complete his move to the Premier League club after the World Cup by having a medical examination.
"The time is right for me to seek a new challenge, and I am thrilled about playing in England with Manchester City," Silva said from the World Cup in South Africa. "I believe the Premier League is one of the best competitions in the world and I want to bring success to City and win trophies for them."
Silva, who won the 2008 European Championship with Spain, has struggled for action at the World Cup, featuring only in the opening game loss to Switzerland.
"There has been a lot of speculation about me in the British and Spanish media, and I need to fully concentrate on playing for Spain in the World Cup," said Silva, whose team plays Paraguay in the quarterfinals on Saturday. "That is why my advisers have been dealing with City for me so that I can have my attentions only on South Africa and playing well for my national team."
City manager Roberto Mancini expects Silva to make a "big, big impact" after joining for a reported euro30 million ($37 million).
City hasn't won a trophy since the 1976 League Cup, and was last crowned English champion in 1968.
"David Silva is one of the best midfielders in Europe," Mancini said. "In signing David, we are showing the world that we are bringing the best players here and that we hope to compete to win the Premier League.
"When players see what is happening at Manchester City and the ambition, they are attracted to what we are building and want to be a part of it."
City has splurged hundreds of millions of dollars on new players since being bought by Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour in September 2008.
But despite that spending spree, City could finish only fifth last season — missing out on Champions League qualification.
City started strengthening its squad this offseason by signing defender Jerome Boateng from Hamburg for a reported $15 million.
City captain Kolo Toure's brother, the Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure, is also being chased in a deal that could cost euro30 million ($37 million), the Spanish champions said this week.
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