Hamburg

Manchester City have begun what is sure to be a long transfer season by signing 21 year old centre-half Jerome Boateng from Hamburg. Boateng was in Manchester to complete the formalities before flying off to South Africa to join his fellow Germans for the World Cup.

He will officially become a Man City player on July the 1st. In a deal worth to be about 10 million pounds, Boateng becomes the first of seemingly many players to arrive at Eastlands this summer.

City manager Roberto Mancini is said to be a big fan of Boateng and has wanted him at the club for a long time.

'This is a very good signing for Manchester City and I am pleased to bring Jerome to the club,' the Italian told the club's official website.

'He is a young player who is already of a very high quality, but I think he can continue to improve at City.

'He can play a number of positions in defence, which is important. He has proved his ability in Germany and I think he can be a very important player for Manchester City in the Premier League.'

Jerome is the brother of Kevin Prince Boateng, the Portsmouth midfielder. Boateng is the third Hamburg player to join Manchester City in the last couple of years, following Vincent Kompany and Nigel De Jong.

Meanwhile, Chelsea winger Joe Cole is all set to snub City and join his present club's London rivals Arsenal at the end of the summer. Cole, whose contract at Stamford Bridge terminates at end of the World Cup, reportedly demanded a fee of 120.00 pounds a week for an extension at Chelsea, and the club rejected it.

He is said to be demanding a fee of 100.000 pounds a week at Arsenal as well, and that is the only part of the deal which the Gunners are not ready to accept. The highest earning players at the Emirates are Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas, pocketing about 90.000 pounds per week.

Manchester City were reported interested in signing the Englishman, but Cole's family have expressed their wish to stay on in London.

Cole started his career at West Ham United before joining Chelsea, where he has won three Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups.

He missed most of last season through injury, and was frustrated time and time again by being kept on the bench, with the likes of Nicholas Anelka and Salomon Kalou preferred to play in his right flank role.

Football Blog is providing Football World Cup 2010 news updates for its Football Fans.

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