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Roberto Mancini’s vision and ambition, his own firsthand knowledge of City fans’ passion and a desire to improve are the three overriding factors in Jerome Boateng swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League.

The versatile 21-year-old defender flew into Manchester from Berlin yesterday morning for a medical and will officially become a City player in three weeks time on July 1.

He is now in South Africa preparing for Germany’s World Cup bid where he hopes to further enhance a growing reputation as one of the best young defenders in Europe.

“I am really looking forward to the World Cup and then to joining City,” he said during an interview with mcfc.co.uk before having a look around the City of Manchester Stadium.

“I spoke at length with Roberto Mancini and he impressed me with his plans for the team in the coming seasons. It was a very good conversation.

“And I know about City from when Hamburg played here in the Uefa Cup. I played in the second leg which we lost but won on aggregate on the way to the semi-finals.

"I learned that night about the passion
and commitment of the City fans. They
made it very hard for us and got
behind the side in a great way"

Boateng is not expecting any difficulties settling into his new surroundings. Although he has not spoken English since his schooldays he has a good enough command of the language for it not to be a barrier to conversations or interviews and there are familiar faces at Carrington already.

He is a former Hamburg teammate of both Vincent Kompany and Nigel de Jong and spoke with the Belgian a couple of months ago about life in the Premier League.

“He told me of the strength of the English game, the passion of the fans and like the coach he spoke of the vision of the club to win trophies,” confirmed Boateng.

“I can’t wait to work with so many top players and show what I can do and become a better player. I believe my strengths are my pace and reading of the game. I can play at full back on either side but I prefer the central defensive position.”

mcfc.co.uk

blootoof wrote:I can see this lad bein one hell of a signin given time

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

blootoof wrote:I can see this lad bein one hell of a signin given time

I can also see him being dissapointed if he thinks that kind of atmosphere is the same every home game.

blootoof wrote:

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

blootoof wrote:I can see this lad bein one hell of a signin given time

I can also see him being dissapointed if he thinks that kind of atmosphere is the same every home game.

That did cross my mind tbh .. Just hope he doesn't expect 30 million of us to turn up at Blackburn :)

Beefymcfc wrote:

blootoof wrote:

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

blootoof wrote:I can see this lad bein one hell of a signin given time

I can also see him being dissapointed if he thinks that kind of atmosphere is the same every home game.

That did cross my mind tbh .. Just hope he doesn't expect 30 million of us to turn up at Blackburn :)

It's alright, I'll be there.

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:

blootoof wrote:

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

blootoof wrote:I can see this lad bein one hell of a signin given time

I can also see him being dissapointed if he thinks that kind of atmosphere is the same every home game.

That did cross my mind tbh .. Just hope he doesn't expect 30 million of us to turn up at Blackburn :)

It's alright, I'll be there.

Are you saying you can replicate the Hamburg atmosphere on your jack jones?

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:

blootoof wrote:

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

blootoof wrote:I can see this lad bein one hell of a signin given time

I can also see him being dissapointed if he thinks that kind of atmosphere is the same every home game.

That did cross my mind tbh .. Just hope he doesn't expect 30 million of us to turn up at Blackburn :)

It's alright, I'll be there.

Are you saying you can replicate the Hamburg atmosphere on your jack jones?