Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce has welcomed new striker Georgios Samaras to the club, but warned the forward that he will not walk straight into the first team.
The Greece under-21 striker completed his £6m move from Dutch side Heerenveen after passing his medical, and will be in the squad for Wednesday’s home match against Newcastle United.
“He’ll be in and fighting for a place. He’s got to join the squad running and force me to pick him,” said Pearce.
However, Pearce admitted that he had high hopes for the 20-year-old.
“It’s the overall package that you get with him. He’s 20-years-old, we feel that we have someone at the right end of their career, someone who will mature and get better and better.
“He’s a good footballer, he has a solid background and I think I played against his father in the Greek national side!
“Talking with him, he’s a very level-headed lad, he knows what he wants out of football and he’s very career-minded, which is a good thing. I think this football club for him at this stage of his career is a great move, for him as well as it is for us.”
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