City sign Nigel de Jong and plan Chelsea raid

Business as usual at Manchester City where rumours abound, and rather less usually an actual deal has been done.

Firstly the Blues have completed the signing of Hamburg's Dutch international midfielder Nigel de Jong for £15m. The player has agreed personal terms and is expected to take his bow against Newcastle at Eastlands next week.

Had City waited until the summer they could have bought the player for under £2.5m thanks to a clause in his contract, but decided that their need was such they would part with the extra £12.5m to secure his services now.

Andrei Arshavin and Shay Given are also still being linked with moves to Eastlands and the latest player to attract Mark Hughes' wandering eye is another Chelsea second string defender Branislav Ivanovic, who could follow the footsteps of Wayne Bridge up the M6.

Transfer talk: Manchester City

LAST UPDATED 11:31 AM, JANUARY 21, 2009