Manchester City have confirmed the arrival of Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic for an initial £25M with £5M in add-ons.
Kovacic, 29, had one year remaining on his contract and has signed a four-year deal with the Treble winners, becoming their first coup of the summer.
The move follows the departure of captain Ilkay Gundogan, who joined Barcelona on a free transfer on Monday. Gundogan's vacant No.8 shirt will be occupied by the incoming Croatian.
While City may have lost one serial winner in Gundogan, Kovacic has a trophy haul matched by few players in world football. He boasts four Champions Leagues, three Club World Cups, three Super Cups, one Europa League and one La Liga.
Speaking on his arrival, City's new midfielder said:
"This is a brilliant move for me, and I cannot wait to get started with City.
“Anyone who has watched this team under Pep knows how good they are — for me, they are the best in the world. The trophies they have won are clear for all to see, but they are also the best footballing side out there.
“To be joining this squad really is a dream for any footballer. I still have plenty of learning and developing to do, and I know under Pep’s management I can become a better player, which is really exciting for me.
“My plan now is to rest for a few weeks before coming back to Manchester to prepare for the new season. I want to help this club stay at the top and win more trophies.”
Director of Football Txiki Begiristain hailed his tactical flexibility, vast experience and technical qualities:
“He can play as a 6 or an 8, has plenty of experience at top-level clubs and he understands the Premier League. It was a very simple decision to bring him to City because he has the tactical and technical qualities we are looking for in a midfielder.
“He is someone we have monitored for a very long time and always we were impressed whenever we watched him.
“I am delighted he is here. This is a great signing for this club, and I am very excited to watch what he can do with Pep and the rest of our backroom team."
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How will he fit in? How does his play style differ from Gundogan?
The 29-year-old will be deployed on the left of a midfield three, playing just ahead of City's anchoring enforcer, Rodri. While he is not a like-for-like replacement for Gundogan, they do share some similarities.
Like Gundogan, Kovacic will be utilised as a roaming eight with a focus on retaining the ball while pinning the opposition back, keeping City on the front foot.
Stylistically, they are different players. The German was not one to initiate attacks by receiving the ball from deep and driving at opposition defences - an area in which Kovacic excels.
