Manuel Pellegrini is excited by the arrival of Fabian Delph and has backed the 25-year-old to play an important role for Manchester City this season.

The Chilean said he was delighted when Delph eventually decided to join the Sky Blues from Aston Villa for a fee of £8million.

"I'm very pleased because I think (Delph) is an important player, not just because he is an English player," Pellegrini said.

"He is a player in the England squad, he is dynamic.

"He will be important for our team."

The City boss also defended Delph's change of mind, after the midfielder initially decided he would stay at Villa Park.

"Maybe it was a special moment for him. I think he decided he had made a bad decision," he added.

"Players need a new challenge and this was a new challenge for him.

"'It was an important decision for him to come, because I think he will grow a lot here."