Source: Telegraph
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes signs Schalke 04's Nils Zander
Hughes, whose future as manager at Eastlands was resolved earlier this week with chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak insisting the Welshman will remain in charge next season, is expected to make a number of additions to his squad this summer.
But he has underlined City's intention to improve all levels of the club by moving for the highly-rated Zander for an undisclosed fee.
The German youth international is yet to make his senior debut for the Schalke, who City defeated in the Uefa Cup earlier this season, but he has shown enough in their junior ranks for Hughes to be lure him to Eastlands.
With City's highly-rated Academy providing a series of players for the first-team - notably Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland, Nedum Onuoha and Shaun Wright-Phillips - Hughes and the club's Abu Dhabi owners have insisted that they remain committed to the Eastlands youth policy.
But the move for Zander suggests that City are now ready to compete with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea for the cream of the continent's young talent.
Zander is likely to face a wait for a first-team debut at City, with Hughes expected to allow the youngster to develop in the reserves ahead of a possible loan move to gain senior experience.
But with former England defender Michael set to be released at the end of the season and doubts over the top-flight credentials of Javier Garrido, Zander could yet force himself into the first-team picture if he impresses next term.
Wayne Bridge, a January buy from Chelsea, will continue to claim the left-back spot, leaving Zander with a battle to make an early breakthrough.
Zander is the second German youngster to move to City in recent months, with goalkeeper Lorius Karius already snapped up from Stuttgart.
