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Shift Media News 
BY talkSPORT
|SHIFTMEDIASPORTS| Manchester City have announced the signing of Ruben Dias from Benfica on a six-year contract.
The Portugal international centre-back has joined for a fee of £62million, with Nicolas Otamendi going in the other direction for just under £14m.
The 23-year-old has been touted as Man City’s replacement for Vincent Kompany, who left the Etihad last summer and has never truly been replaced.
He becomes Man City’s second defensive recruit of the summer after Nathan Ake, who left Bournemouth to join Pep Guardiola’s side in a £41m deal last month.
“To have the opportunity to join a club like Manchester City is a fantastic opportunity for me and one I couldn’t turn down,” said Dias.
“Their success speaks for itself. They have been the dominant team in England over the last few years, playing an attacking brand of football which I feel suits my own game. “It is really exciting to be part of such a talented squad and to play for a world-class manager like Pep Guardiola, who has a proven track record of developing young players like myself.
“I believe I can improve here, at a club whose ambitions match my own, and I will give everything to be successful and win titles.”
The Dias and Ake deals take Man City’s spending on defensive players this summer beyond the £100m mark and means Guardiola has incredibly spent more than £400m on defenders since becoming Etihad boss four years ago.
Despite recruiting 11 players for huge sums to improve their back line, City started last weekend’s thrashing by Leicester with summer signing Ake – who was relegated with Bournemouth last season – in defence, alongside wantaway youngster Eric Garcia and injury-prone Benjamin Mendy, who is now in his fourth season at the Etihad but only recently passed 50 appearances.
They were fragile and porous against the Foxes and Guardiola hopes Dias can solve the defensive problems, but also be the leader Kompany was during his time at the Etihad.
And Jose Fonte – who partners Dias in defence for Portugal – made it clear the 23-year-old is a ready-made captain who can take up Kompany’s mantle of leader immediately.
“Ruben is one of my favourite young centre-backs,” said Fonte during an interview with talkSPORT. “He’s only 23, but he shows great maturity.
“He has a great work ethic. He wants to learn, he wants to improve. He observes the great defenders, he’s interested in knowing the game.
“For me, it’s a great acquisition for Manchester City. They’re getting a top, top player, who wants to get better and better and that’s very important.
“He’s humble. He’s very, very skilful with the ball at his feet. He has a good pass between the lines. He reads the game well, he attacks the ball well in the air. He’s strong in the duels.
“They’re getting a very good player. I have no doubt he’s ready; he’s been playing at the highest level for the last two, three years.
“He starts every game for the national team, as well. He has a young body, but an older mind.
“So I think he’s ready. He’s going to be excited to show what he’s capable of. If Manchester City need him right now, they can use him. He leads by example.
