City snap up Sylvinho on one-year deal

Big-spending Manchester City have signed veteran Brazilian defender Sylvinho on a one-year deal, the club announced Monday.

Sylvinho, 35, was a free agent after leaving Barcelona at the end of last season and has previously played in the English Premier League for Arsenal, for whom he made 55 appearances between 1999 and 2001.

City boss Mark Hughes has signed the experienced defender essentially as cover for England left back Wayne Bridge.

Sylvinho won the Champions League twice and three La Liga titles with Barcelona as well as picking up six caps for Brazil in a career which has also included spells at Celta Vigo and Corinthians.

He could make his City debut in a League Cup second round tie at Crystal Palace on Thursday.

“Sylvinho has a wealth of experience at the very top level, having represented Brazil and played for some of the very top clubs in Europe,” said Hughes.

“When the chance presented itself to bring him to Manchester City as a free agent I saw it as representing excellent business for us. Sylvinho won the European Cup last season at Barcelona and he will strengthen our defensive options.”

The Sylvinho deal was announced as City were putting the finishing touches to a deal to sign England centreback Joleon Lescott from Everton for a reported fee of 24 million pounds.

The fee was agreed late on Sunday and Lescott was undergoing a medical on Monday.

City have also secured the services of former Arsenal centreback Kolo Toure, who joined earlier this month in a 16-million-pound deal.