The player has been a long term target for City and he signed a three-year contract with the Premier League side after his contract with Lazio expired this summer.

Dabo expressed his delight with his new contract with City, and said that his meeting with manager Stuart Pearce was what convinced him to join the club.

“I’m very happy, I met Stuart Pearce in London on Monday and it went so well that I finally traveled to Manchester to sign the contract,” Dabo said.

“I got carried away by the coach’s words, he’s very ambitious to make the club become fifth or sixth and secure European football,” the 29-year-old midfielder added.

Pearce confirmed that signing Dabo will help reinforce the team for the next season campaign.

“I’m delighted Ousmane is joining us, he’s a vastly experienced holding midfielder and I believe he will be a major asset to the squad,” Pearce said.

Manchester City finished last season in a disappointing fifteenth place, and will be looking forward to retain the form that saw the club compete for a European place in the 2004/2005 season.