BIG-spending City have beaten off stiff competition to sign Atletico Madrid winger Martin Petrov.

The Bulgarian international - who will wear the number 15 shirt - cost the Blues £4.7million and has signed a three-year deal, subject to receiving a work permit.

City Chief Executive Alistair Mackintosh told www.mcfc.co.uk: "Unsurprisingly given the calibre of the player, there were a significant number of clubs competing for Martin's signature, and I am absolutely delighted that he has come to Manchester City.

"Having Sven-Goran Eriksson as our manager proved to be a major factor in the player's decision to move here."

Busy Eriksson made a left-sided midfielder a top priority and beat off the attentions of Spurs to land the 28-year-old who at one point looked sure to head for London and a reunion with international colleague Dimitar Berbatov.

Petrov, who was impressed by Eriksson's promise of plenty of football and his dream for the future, was voted Bulgaria's footballer of the year in 2006, and boasts a high-class pedigree, having played for CSKA Sofia, Servette, Wolfsburg, and Atletico Madrid.

He is a regular scorer as well as a provider and has accumulated 64 caps for his country.

Petrov is likely to make his debut, along with Brazilian Geovanni, against Belgian side Charleroi on Saturday evening when he could still be joined by other new faces.

Eriksson has said from the off that he would like to bring in eight players to the squad and is halfway there.

His next target is another striker with Nery Castillo, Yakubu and Nikola Zigic all on his radar. Then there will be another defender, Giorgio Chiellini from Juventus or Sevilla's Ivica Dragutinovic followed by a midfielder and possibly a goalkeeper with Liverpool's Scott Carson atop that list.

And Petrov's arrival will alert both Preston and Watford to Ishmael Miller's precarious position in the Eastlands pecking order.

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