The Spaniard was reportedly the subject of a bid from Barcelona before agreeing to sign for City, with Luis Enrique keen to take him back to the Camp Nou where he played between 2008 and 2011.
But he says the prospect of working under Pep Guardiola was too enticing to turn down, and cites David Silva’s presence in the City first team as a key factor in his decision.
“There are a number of reasons I joined City,” he said. “Obviously this is one of the best clubs in the world, it has Pep Guardiola as a manager, there is David Silva who I have been playing with when with the national team.
“It is also a new language, a new competition. My family was really pleased to come. I was very happy to come here and to play for Manchester City.
“Every club has its history and philosophy, and Manchester City’s structure is amazing. The CFA, how they manage everything. As far as the team is concerned, we are a group of nice guys that get along with each other. I think you can tell when we are on the pitch.”
Nolito admits his first experience of English football has been a challenging one.
He says the level of competition is fiercer than anything he has faced before – and believes the side who ultimately wins the Premier League title will have fully deserved their crown.
“I’ve never experienced a level of competition like this one,” he says. “That is why I think that the team who finally gets to win the Premier League deserves a lot of credit. It is a very tough competition.
“We need to go step by step. This is a very important time of season for us. December will be a very tough month but that’s how it is.
“We need to keep working and respect all of our opponents. Knowing that there will be difficult games and that we will have to do well in any way.”
