LONDON: Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Spain winger Jesus Navas from Sevilla on a four-year deal in the confident belief that he has overcome his travel anxieties.

Navas, 27, passed a medical in New York to complete a deal worth an initial £14.9m, potentially rising to £15.9m over the course of his contract. In 2006 he turned down a move to Chelsea after helping Sevilla beat Middlesbrough in the UEFA Cup final, citing a fear of living abroad.

Navas has suffered from anxiety attacks when away from home for extended periods and has been forced to leave training camps on several occasions. Now extensive counselling appears to have alleviated the problem. He said: “I’m very happy with the opportunity and the decision.”

Second signing

Navas, with 23 caps forSpain, is City’s second major signing of the summer after  Fernandinho’s arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk for £30m. He has spent his entire career at Sevilla, 20 miles north of his home town of Los Palacios y Villafranca.

He was a key member of the Sevilla team who won the UEFA Cup in 2006 and 2007, was a member of Spain’s successful 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 squads and is in the 23-man party picked for the imminent Confederations Cup in Brazil.

Not only but also . . .

Galatasaray have failed with an initial bid for Portugal winger Nani who is valued at £8.5m by Manchester United;

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has refused to rule out the sale of possible Premier target Stephan El Shaarawy;

The agent of veteran Milan captain Massimo Ambrosini has confirmed talks with West Ham after his release by the Serie A club;

Nicklas Bendtner is expected to leave north London within the next fortnight as Arsenal clear the decks for their summer transfer activity.

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