Manchester City have announced the signing of goalkeeper Willy Caballero from Málaga on a three-year contract.

The 32-year-old Argentinian has moved for an undisclosed fee in a switch that sees him reunited with the City manager Manuel Pellegrini. The pair previously worked together at Málaga after Pellegrini signed Caballero for the Spanish outfit in 2011.

City have been looking for a new goalkeeper to provide competition for their first-choice stopper Joe Hart following Costel Pantilimon’s release at the end of last season. Caballero is City’s third new signing of the summer, with midfielder Fernando and full-back Bacary Sagna the other arrivals.

“I am very happy, and really looking forward to the start of pre-season and performing well to help the team,” Caballero told the club’s website. “This is a new challenge and a new league for me. I have been doing well in the previous years and my goal is to go on and hopefully perform at the same level for City.”

Caballero is determined to push Hart for the starting spot. “I know I am coming to a big club with a very good goalkeeper,” Caballero said. “City already have a great goalkeeper in Joe Hart, but I will try and compete for the No1 spot. I will do my best in the training sessions.”

Caballero began his career in his homeland with Boca Juniors and then moved to Spain in 2004, spending seven years with Elche before linking up with Pellegrini at Málaga, with whom he gained Champions League experience. The goalkeeper added: “The most beautiful moments of my career were under Manuel Pellegrini in Málaga, where we achieved big things and we made Málaga’s name known around Europe.

“As for my new team-mates, I have a very good relationship with Martín Demichelis, but I’ve never met Pablo Zabaleta and Sergio Agüero (City’s three other Argentinian players). It’s something I’m looking forward to. For me it is very good to have people from Argentina in the squad because I think it will be very helpful.”