“He'll be in and fighting for a place,” Pearce told the City website. “He's got to join the squad running and force me to pick him.
“It's the overall package that you get with him,” Stu added. “He's 20 so we feel that we have someone who will mature and get better.
“Talking with him, he's a very level-headed lad, he knows what he wants out of football and he's very career-minded, which is a good thing.
“I think this football club for him at this stage of his career is a great move, for him as well as it is for us.”
Samaras was delighted City and Heerenveen finally came to an agreement on a £6m fee.
“It has been a tough month for me but I was pleased that City were interested in me and now I'm really happy to be here,” he said.
“I know everything about them. I watch a lot of football and of course I watch the Premier League all the time. I know all about the manager, and I also know about people like Andy Cole, David James and Trevor Sinclair. I'm really happy that I am going to be part of the team with them.”
Samaras moved to Holland at 16 and saw City as a step up.
“When I was in Holland I was thinking about my next step, because I want to make a career for myself,” he added.
“I saw Manchester City in the table and I thought 'That's my next step'.”
City have also completed the signing of central defender Matthew Mills from Southampton on a three-and-a-half year deal.
The 19-year-old is an England youth international and was coached by City’s reserve team manager Steve Wigley when he was in charge of Southampton's youth Academy.
Mills had loan spells at Coventry City and Bournemouth last season before making his first-team debut for the Saints this season. In total he has made 6 first-team appearances for Southampton.