LONDON (AFP)
Michael Laudrup made his first signing as Swansea manager on
Tuesday, completing a £2 million ($3.1 million) swoop for Genoa
defender Jose Manuel Flores.
Flores, who is often known by his nickname 'Chico', agreed a
three-year contract with the Premier League club after completing
a medical and will be linked up with his new team-mates subject
to international clearance.
The 25-year-old's arrival marks the start of Laudrup's rebuilding
work at the Liberty Stadium after the former Barcelona and Real
Madrid star's surprise appointment as successor to Brendan
Rodgers.
Laudrup knows Flores well after working with the Spanish
centre-back during his spell in charge at Real Mallorca.
"He was one of the main reasons I signed. He knows me as a person
and a player, so I was honoured when the call came," Flores said.
"I believe the manager will be good for Swansea and they have
done extremely well to get him. Swansea's way of playing is the
same style as he wants to play the game. He is the right person
to take this club forward.
"I am very happy to be here. I know I am joining a club that has
been growing over the last few years and is still ambitious to go
even higher."
Flores, a former Spain Under-21 international, started his career
with his hometown club Cadiz and had numerous loan spells before
joining Almeria.
He made a £4 million switch to Genoa in 2010 but returned to
Spain for a loan spell with Mallorca last season.
