Iraqi midfielder Nashat Akram has done emough while training with Manchester City this week to earn himself a contract with the Premier League club.
He will now join Sven-Goran Eriksson's side after finalising terms with his previous club, Al Ain, in Abu Dhabi, and when a work permit is issued.
"I've signed a contract with Manchester City for two years and a half after finishing the medical tests," Akram told Middle Eastern television channel MBC.
"The financial terms are good although I don't prefer to talk in such matters.
"The negotiations with Manchester City started a long time ago and these negotiations were enclosed until we had a successful agreement.
City manager Eriksson, had earlier said the 23-year-old, who was a key figure in Iraq's AFC Asian Cup triumph last year, had impressed him during the initial week-long trial.
"He's a very good football player, he will need to get used to the style of English football but he's a very elegant player and in the Asian Cup he was one of the very best in the tournament," Eriksson told City's website (www.mcfc.co.uk).
"We need to fix the work permits but I don't think that will be a problem.
"He can do a little bit of everything in both attack and defence. I think he is one for the future ... he's good. He's a technically correct player."
Akram, who was nominated for the 2007 AFC Asian Player of the Year award, is in line to become the first Iraqi to play in a top European league since the 1950s.
He will now join Sven-Goran Eriksson's side after finalising terms with his previous club, Al Ain, in Abu Dhabi, and when a work permit is issued.
"I've signed a contract with Manchester City for two years and a half after finishing the medical tests," Akram told Middle Eastern television channel MBC.
"The financial terms are good although I don't prefer to talk in such matters.
"The negotiations with Manchester City started a long time ago and these negotiations were enclosed until we had a successful agreement.
City manager Eriksson, had earlier said the 23-year-old, who was a key figure in Iraq's AFC Asian Cup triumph last year, had impressed him during the initial week-long trial.
"He's a very good football player, he will need to get used to the style of English football but he's a very elegant player and in the Asian Cup he was one of the very best in the tournament," Eriksson told City's website (www.mcfc.co.uk).
"We need to fix the work permits but I don't think that will be a problem.
"He can do a little bit of everything in both attack and defence. I think he is one for the future ... he's good. He's a technically correct player."
Akram, who was nominated for the 2007 AFC Asian Player of the Year award, is in line to become the first Iraqi to play in a top European league since the 1950s.
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