Premier League - City confirm Bridge signing

Eurosport - Sun, 04 Jan 20:10:00 2009

Wayne Bridge has completed his £10 million move from Chelsea to Manchester City after signing a four-and-a-half-year contract at Eastlands.

FOOTBALL 2007-2008 Premier League Chelsea Wayne Bridge - 0

The clubs agreed terms for the 28-year-old before Bridge put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year contract a day later to become City's first signing of the January transfer window.

"I played alongside him at Southampton and I saw him come through the ranks. He was an outstanding young player and he's progressed year on year in his career," manager Mark Hughes told City's website.

"He's a successful player. He's an England international and has just played for one of the top four sides in the country.

"He's of the right quality and he's the type of player we need to attract. We need good players that understand this league and we'll look to carry on in that way and add more if we can."

Bridge, who has 32 England caps, joined Chelsea from Southampton for £7m in 2003 but struggled to hold down a regular first-team place after the arrival of Ashley Cole from Arsenal in 2006.

TeamTalk / Eurosport

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  1. Hughes should be sacked!!! citys fan's never wanted him!!!

    From Ste, on Sat 3 Jan 8:05PM

  2. I think the lack of leadership by the manager is the downfall of this team. Poor Wayne Bridge....he must wonder what he has joined.

    From kop it, on Sat 3 Jan 7:56PM

  3. For me, Wayne is one of the finest full backs I've ever seen in recent times. On and off the pitch, he's got an amazing humility and commitment. Its always a delight watching him make darting runs at the flanks. Sincerely, I'm always moved each time I see Bridge play a second fiddle at the bridge and I always felt he deserved something better. His arrival at chelsea marked a down turn in the career of a certain Nigerian international, Celestine Babayaro. Its best for him to move on as he approaches the twilight of his career. Wayne Bridge served Chelsea with the best of his ability and deserves a resounding farewell.

    From uzonest, on Sat 3 Jan 7:37PM

  4. this is still the same team sven gave us that dipped in the second half of last season, why do you expect hughes to have instant success with them, he needs to buy in quality players and get rid of the guff we have in there now, none of the top managers would like to have this squad, if he is playing vassel and hamman then he has a serious lack of quality and he needs to buy and build on the pants that sven left him, when we play football we score big time, but we need to sort out the defence, richards the prima donna should go, him and dunne arent talking at the back thats why we are getting slaughtered by teams, grab gallas now and swap him for richards, or let richard play in the reserves until he is hungry again, he has just gone down hill since his pay rise

    From Darren, on Sat 3 Jan 7:24PM

  5. wazandjude, THE REDS WILL NEVER TAKE A POOR POOR MANAGER,

    From I TYSON, on Sat 3 Jan 7:17PM

  6. HAS HUGHES GONE YET !

    From I TYSON, on Sat 3 Jan 6:54PM

  7. the big issue for all you blue fans is that Hughes is Red; he is learning his trade at a second rate club before he moves to the right side of the city. he will follow in Fergies footsteps mark my words.

    From WARREN, on Sat 3 Jan 6:54PM

  8. How much longer can Hughes last at Man City this is a manger with no imagination does not know how to read a game and seams to be prepared to pay over the top for players. Champion ship league here we come if they do not get a manger that can inspire the team to play and most off all want to win

    From J P, on Sat 3 Jan 5:33PM

  9. ripped of: I don't think any of the managers we've had since Frank Clarke were nearly as bad as Hughes is.

    Joe Royle did a decent enough job, Kevin Keegan was ok until he lost the will to carry on in his last season, and Stuart Pearce wasn't too bad given the poor team and financial troubles City had at the time. Sven was ok, I wasn't too surprised when he was sacked, but he would have been better than Hughes.

    From haz_r_1980, on Sat 3 Jan 5:29PM

  10. haz-r 1980---can you name all the other 20 @#$% managers you've had in the last ten years? great teams need just one manager in 20

    From ripped of, on Sat 3 Jan 5:12PM

  11. 960 you know and i know hughes will never make a manager by by hughes

    From I TYSON, on Sat 3 Jan 5:09PM

  12. hughesie said he wasn't going to get robbed off in the transfer window! first signing is a good one but he's done exactly what he said he was not going to do...paid over the top for a mercenary...remember bridge going to chelsea and costing too much.

    From ripped of, on Sat 3 Jan 5:08PM

  13. think hughes will go after todays result

    From Crazydave, on Sat 3 Jan 5:07PM

  14. ian960: Hughes inherited a poor side? They finished 8th last season, and over the summer spent £70m. Get real, Hughes inherited a decent side, which has been further improved since his arrival.

    If Sven could get us to 8th last season with an inferior team to the present one. How is hovering just above the relegation zone and being knocked out of both the League Cup and FA Cup at the first hurdle by lower league sides a justifiable return for £70m being spent on dodgy signings???

    Hughes hasn't got a clue. Poor signings, no motivational skills, poor relationship with the players, strange team selections, and no Plan B when things go wrong. He is the worst manager City have had in at least 10 years.

    From haz_r_1980, on Sat 3 Jan 5:03PM

  15. My My I tyson, got a bit of a problem with mark hughes? hes only been at the club 5 minutes, inherited a poor side, been bought out by the richest man in football, this is his first transfer window available to Hughes with money, come on give the guy a break, time will tell if its not good enough for the city, the players at the back look good on paper but leaking defences dont win games, hence bridges signings..experienced centre half should be next on the list a leader..come on the blue half of manchester, time to grow up!!! and rival your neighbours..

    From ian960, on Sat 3 Jan 4:45PM

  16. liverpool to win and hull for second bring home number nineteen

    From LISA W, on Sat 3 Jan 4:11PM

  17. BY BY MARK HUGES FIRST SACKING OF 2009 IT WON'T WONT BELONG NOW BY BY

    From I TYSON, on Sat 3 Jan 4:00PM

  18. 10 mill for Ahley Coles stand in ? how much did he cost Chelsea ? been robbed yes

    From alan.darlow, on Sat 3 Jan 3:55PM

  19. arsenal will crowned champion this season!!!manu,chelsy,liv can discuss who want to take the 2nd place etc...

    From fear, on Sat 3 Jan 3:35PM

  20. GO GET THEM HUGHES BRIDGE TOTALLY DESERVES FIRST TEAM

    From Azim, on Sat 3 Jan 2:25PM
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