Manchester City have taken their summer
spending past the £100million mark by
capturing Brazilian teenage sensation Gabriel
Jesus.
The 19-year-old forward, who has been
compared to Barcelona striker Neymar, has cost
City a reported £27million with new manager
Pep Guardiola making him his fifth major
signing.
Jesus, who is currently with the Brazil squad at
the Rio Olympics, joins City on a five-year deal
but will be loaned back to Palmeiras until
January.
City reportedly beat off competition from
Barcelona to sign a player who has been on the
radar of top European clubs since he scored 54
goals in 48 games in his debut season in
Palmeiras' youth set-up.
Jesus made his senior bow just before his 18th
birthday and was part of the Brazil Under-20
side which reached the final of the FIFA U20
World Cup in 2015.
Sao Paulo-born Jesus was named in Brazil's 40-
man provisional Copa America squad this
summer before being selected for his country's
Olympic bid on home soil.
"We are delighted that Gabriel has chosen to
join us," City director of football Txiki
Begiristain said in a club statement.
"He is one of the most exciting young prospects
in world football and plays the game in a
spectacular way.
"We look forward to him making a big impact at
Manchester City in January."
For his part, Jesus - who can play anywhere
across the front three and was voted the
Brazilian top-flight's 'best newcomer' last term -
said he was excited to be coming to England and
working with former Barcelona and Bayern
Munich boss Guardiola.
"Manchester City is one of the best clubs in the
world so I'm really pleased to sign," said Jesus.
"We have many great talents in the team and a
fantastic manager in Pep Guardiola that I can
learn so much from.
"I'm looking forward to showing the City fans
what I can do and I think we'll have a great
future together!"
The signing of Jesus came a day after City
completed a £37million deal for Germany
winger Leroy Sane from Schalke, currently the
biggest Premier League transfer in the summer
window.
Guardiola's has now spent around £103million
with Nolito, Ilkay Gundogan and Oleksandr
Zinchenko also brought in this summer.
And there could still be more to follow, with
Everton's John Stones and Marlos Moreno of
Colombian side Atletico Nacional continuing to
be heavily linked with the Etihad Stadium
outfit.
Meanwhile, midfielder Gundogan - signed from
Borussia Dortmund and working his way back
from a knee injury - has set his sights on making
his City debut in the derby clash with
Manchester United at Old Trafford on
September 10.
"I'm really looking forward to training normally
with the guys and I can't wait to get going
properly - but I just have to be patient for a
little while longer," Gundogan told City's official
website.
"I'm working hard on my rehab (and)
everything is going well so I hope it will be end
of August or the beginning of September - of
course, it all depends on how things develop
over the next few days and weeks.
"Maybe just after the World Cup qualifiers and
perhaps the Manchester derby - that would be
very nice."
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