Manchester City have announced the signing of defender, Ruben Dias from Benfica. The 23-year-old joins the Blues for a reported £65 million, with Nicolas Otamendi going the other way to Portugal for £13.7 million.

The Portuguese international signs an impressive six-year-deal at the Etihad Stadium, keeping him in a sky blue shirt until 2026.

Who is Ruben Dias?

Dias has enjoyed an impressive career in his native Portugal despite being just 23-years-old. The centre-back has spent his whole career at Benfica, after graduating from the club's academy system in 2017.

Since, the 23-year-old has made 137 appearances for The Eagles, scoring 12 goals in three seasons from central defence as well as being a key member in his former side's 2018/19 Portuguese league title win.

Dias is also well capped on the international stage, having played 19 times for his country since his debut in May 2018. The 23-year-old was also a member of the Portugal squad that claimed the UEFA Nations League title in 2019.

An Exciting Opportunity for Dias

In an interview with the club's website, Dias expressed his excitement on signing for the Blues: 

“To have the opportunity to join a club like Manchester City is a fantastic opportunity for me and one I couldn’t turn down. 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."

Otamendi Bows Out 

The deal means that Otamendi's time at the Etihad comes to an end after a successful five years at the club. The Argentine made 211 appearances for City and picked up seven major honours in his time in Manchester.

The 32-year-old played a key role in the club's record breaking 100-point, title winning season in 2017/18 and will be remembered by the City faithful for his derby day winner  in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford that season.