The Frenchman, born in Martinique, had a three-day trial at Maine Road prior to signing on the dotted line, and convinced manager Kevin Keegan that he was good enough for a four-and-a-half-year deal.

The player started his career as an out-and-out midfielder, before reverting to a more defensive role.

On signing the player, Keegan told the club's official website: 'Christian can be whatever you want a midfielder to be. He is big, strong, is an excellent ball winner and he can play.

'For someone so tall he has got very good balance and talking to the Manchester City fans, whose opinions I respect, a few of them say we haven't had a tackling midfielder, someone who can really win the ball, for some time.

'He will be very dangerous from set pieces as he was a centre forward and he has been moved back into midfield. Because of that he has the qualities in the final third from free kicks and corners to be a threat.'

Made his debut for City in the 2-1 defeat at Portsmouth a matter of days after joining the club. But, despite scoring the equaliser against Rotherham on his home debut, a red card in his third City game hampered his progress.

That led Keegan to place Kevin Horlock back in the starting line-up, and Negouai struggled to win his place back as the Blues matched to the First Division championship.