Nigel de Jong believes both he and Manchester City will reach their peak in two years' time.
The 24-year-old midfielder joined the Eastlands club from Hamburg in January, one of a number of high-profile signings this season including Robinho, Shay Given and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
The Holland international believes he is better served turning out every week for City than playing a supporting role at a bigger club.
He said: 'Everyone wants to play in a top team, but would you get a guarantees starting place?
'At City I play every week in the best league in Europe.
'I see this as a two-year project. Then I'll only be 26 years old, at the top of my abilities, and I could raise my profile for two seasons.'
De Jong insists he left Hamburg on good terms.
'The contact with the president and the technical director remained good,' he said. 'I left in an amicable way and that's how I wanted it - that way, I can always return if I don't succeed in England.
'That won't happen, by the way. I will make it - I'm convinced of that.'
The former Ajax midfielder believes young players cannot reach their full potential in Holland.
He said: 'Look who makes up the Oranje team now: guys like [Ryan] Babel, [Wesley] Sneijder and [Rafael] van der Vaart.
'They're all guys who people said left Ajax too soon.
'The Eredivisie is a good breeding ground, which you should leave around your 21st birthday to develop abroad.'
