Manchester City have completed the signing of Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli on a five-year contract.

The Italian, 20, flew into Manchester on Friday for a medical after agreeing personal terms with City, with the fee thought to be about £24m.

His signing takes City's spending this summer to well over £100m.

And that figure will rise again with James Milner's move from Aston Villa expected to go through within "two or three days", said boss Roberto Mancini.

The 24-year-old England midfielder has been named in Villa's squad to face West Ham in their Premier League opener on Saturday, but Mancini is confident the deal will go through soon.

Balotelli's arrival follows those of Jerome Boateng, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Aleksandar Kolarov.

We need another two or three days for this situation. We need everyone to be happy. Mancini on the Milner deal

"I think that Mario is one of the best players of his age in Europe, and I very happy to be working with him again," said Mancini, who managed Balotelli during his time at Inter.

"His style of play will suit the Premier League, and because he is still so young there is a big chance for him to improve. He is a strong and exciting player, and City fans will enjoy watching him."

The frontman, who has Ghanaian heritage, scored 28 goals in 86 appearances for Inter after making his debut in December 2007.

But he fell out with former manager Jose Mourinho last season and angered fans by allowing himself to be photographed in an AC Milan shirt.

Meanwhile, England midfielder Milner's switch is thought to have been held up by midfielder Stephen Ireland's demand for a £2m payment to leave Eastlands.

City have offered Aston Villa £18m for Milner, with Ireland moving in the opposite direction as part of the deal, but Ireland's current employers are unwilling to pay him the sum he is seeking.

606: DEBATE If Balotelli sorts his attitude out he has the potential to become one of the best players in the world ManCitizens

Milner has been linked with a move to big-spending City for most of the summer, with former Villa boss Martin O'Neill - before his departure on Monday - admitting he was resigned to losing the player.

Mancini said: "We need another two or three days for this situation. We need everyone to be happy."

Ireland, 23, is a product of City's academy and made his debut for the club in 2005.

But the influx of new players since City's wealthy owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan took over the club in 2009 has seen Ireland drop down the pecking order.

The former Republic of Ireland international, who is contracted at Eastlands until the end of the 2013-14 season, made 30 appearances for the club in 2009-10.

Former Leeds and Newcastle midfielder Milner joined Villa for £12m in 2008 and has developed into a regular England international since joining the club.

Meanwhile, Mancini also revealed that striker Craig Bellamy has been left out of his 25-man squad for the new Premier League season, with Fulham manager Mark Hughes leading the race for his signature.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version