BOJINOV SET FOR CITY SWITCH
Manchester City are expected to confirm the £5.75million capture of Valeri Bojinov from Fiorentina within the next 48 hours. The Bulgarian striker was due to fly into the north-west on Wednesday before undergoing a medical and becoming Sven-Goran Eriksson's fifth signing as Blues manager.Bojinov has had a tough couple of years in Italy, making little impact with Fiorentina or in a loan spell with Juventus last term. But Eriksson clearly believes the 20-year-old is capable of finding the form which earnt him a move to Serie A with Lecce when he was just a teenager.
City officials have not confirmed Bojinov's imminent arrival but the player himself has already offered a heartfelt thank you to the former England boss. "I would like to thank manager Eriksson for making this move possible," he told www.gong.bg.
Bojinov revealed he had spoken to fellow countryman Martin Petrov about the proposed move a number of times. Petrov snubbed Tottenham to join Eriksson's City revolution and is due to make his debut in a friendly against Shrewsbury tonight.
"I am very pleased I will have the chance to play alongside Martin as we have done in the national team," said Bojinov. "I have already talked to him several times about the situation." Bojinov is unlikely to be Eriksson's last signing this week either. Real Sociedad's Javi Garrido is also a confirmed target, while it is thought Eriksson is ready to pay £4million for Croatia defender Vedran Corluka.
The 21-year-old was part of the Croatian side which defeated England in the Euro 2008 qualifiers last October and while the Dinamo Zagreb star would not qualify for a work permit under the current criteria, City are almost certain to win any appeal. Corluka's arrival would signal the end of Eriksson's much-publicised pursuit of Giorgio Chellini, whose widely-anticipated move to Eastlands now appears to have broken down.
The transfer would also effectively mark the end of both Danny and Matthew Mills' time at City, with Georgios Samaras also heading for the exit door once the signing of Bojinov is concluded.
