Manchester City to announce Lescott signing

The transfer of Lescott has been a long running saga (Getty)

Manchester City expect to finally announce the capture of Joleon Lescott from Everton at some point today.

City officials had been hoping to confirm a double swoop yesterday but in the end were only able to welcome veteran Brazilian Sylvinho as a new arrival as an unexpected delay stalled the £22million deal that will take Lescott out of Goodison Park.

However, with the player having passed his medical and agreed personal terms, it is not thought the latest delay will prove sufficient to derail a move City have been working towards for the past month.

By the time they conclude the signing, City will have spent £120million, easily the most invested by any club in England.

As they also splashed out £100million last season there can be few excuses if the Blues fail to gatecrash the top four.

Yet while some view a breaking of an established order that has monopolised the English game, others view such spending as obscene, particularly from a club who would not have a chance of generating such sums without the largesse provided by the Abu Dhabi United Group.

And chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak is aware that any City success is bound to be greeted with a degree of scepticism, just as some outsiders would love it.

"There will always be critics and I know that will only increase," Khaldoon told www.mcfc.co.uk.

"With the ambition we have and what we have committed to the club there will be more criticism.

"It is frustrating but it will only be there because of our success.

"It doesn't faze anyone here. We are looking forward to proving we can do it that right way."

Two wins from two so far is certainly a decent start, even if it has come at a large financial cost.

Not that Khaldoon is complaining. He goes along with Hughes' belief that City have spent their money wisely.

"The value of a player is down to the purchasing club," said Khaldoon.

"Maybe the value of Carlos Tevez to Manchester City was different to his value for Manchester United.

"The reality is we are trying to build a club to be the best in Europe. That takes time and a financial commitment. You will not reach that top echelon of European football by not investing.

"We have made team judgements on the areas where we need to invest and I think the results will show they were the right choices."