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Chilean midfield star Gary Medel has completed a record £9.5m move to Premier League new boys Cardiff City.

‘El Pitbul’ as he was affectionately known in La Liga, has agreed a four-year deal after spending today in the Welsh capital as a guest of chief executive Simon Lim at the friendly fixture against Athletic Bilbao.

In wrapping up the deal, Cardiff City have smashed their transfer record for a third time this summer, having spent £8.5m on Steven Caulker after previously forking out £8m for Dane Andreas Corneilius.

After today’s 2-1 win, Mackay revealed: “He was our guest here today.

“He was one of the top midfielders in La Liga last season and is an experienced international with more than 50 caps for Chile.

“He has played for Boca Juniors and Sevilla, so has a very good pedigree. Gary is a tenacious and intellgent international midfielder.

“He is a combative, defensive midfield player.

“We’ve been on the look out for a player like Gary for a while.

“His experience will be an invaluable asset to our squad.”

Medel, 26, starred in the Spaniards’ 3-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Friday night and it is understood the Bluebirds’ recruitment team took the opportunity to seal the deal with the man who anchored his nation’s midfield at the 2010 World Cup.

Within hours of yesterday’s match finishing in Manchester, Spanish newspapers were reporting that the no-nonsense stopper, who has been red-carded a whopping seven times in 90 matches for Los Rojiblancos, was in Cardiff ready to do a deal.

Despite his poor disciplinary record, Medel is well-respected in Spain’s Primera Liga and has received cult status for a series of star man-marking performances against Barcelona’s South American superstar Lionel Messi.

During today’s game, fans’ excitement grew as pictures started to circulate of Medel sat in the Grandstand alongside club secretary Nick Alford and chief executive Simon Lim.

Seville-based news website ABCdeSevilla spoke to Medel from his Cardiff hotel room and the player passed on a message of thanks to the club’s fans.

The Santiago born star admitted: “It’s hard for me. I want to thank the Sevilla fans. I’ll always be on this team. Till death.”

He then explained his reasons for leaving the club he joined in 2011 for £3m.

He said: “I’m going because it was a good opportunity for everyone. But it is complicated by everything I feel for Sevilla.”

Medel tomorrow links up with his Chilean team-mates for a friendly international against Iraq in Denmark on Wednesday.

He will link up with his new Cardiff teammates later in the week.

During today's 2-1 win against Athletic Bilbao, pictures of Medel, sat with chief executive Simon Lim, started to circulate on Twitter.

After missing out on top targets Victor Wanyama and Etienne Capoue already this summer, the delighted Bluebirds boss said: "He was our guest here today.

"He has played for Boca Juniors and Sevilla, so has a very good pedigree."

It is understood the Bluebirds recruitment team took the opportunity to negotiate with the Andalusians after they ran out 3-1 winners over Manchester United at Old Trafford in Rio Ferdinand's testimonial last night.

In April, the 26-year-old notched up his seventh red card in less than 90 games for Los Rojiblancos after joining from Boca Juniors in 2011.

Medel had been linked with a move to Everton last month with new manager Roberto Martinez said to be an admirer but now the Bluebirds have landed their man.

Mackay added: "He's a combative defensive midfield player, the sort we felt we required for the Premier League.

We have been on the lookout for a player like Gary for a while."

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Seville based website ABCdeSevilla.es also reported that Medel has said his emotional goodbyes to the Sevilla fans.

"I'm going because it was a good opportunity for everyone, but it is complicated by everything I feel for Sevilla."