According to reports in Brazil, Manchester City have won the race to sign 19-year-old Brazilian wonderkid Gabriel Jesus. Palmeiras have accepted a £28.6 million deal for the rising Brazilian star and a deal is set to be completed anytime soon. Gabriel is set to pen a 5 year deal with the Manchester club and will join them in December if he can obtain a work permit. Reports have suggested that City have agreed to loan him back to the Brazilian club until the time he obtains the permit.
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The Palmeiras striker reportedly rejected a deal to move to Spanish champions Barcelona, favouring a move to England instead and the chance to work under Pep Guardiola.
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Barcelona, like City, had also agreed a deal for the forward and seemed in pole position to secure his signature. With fellow Brazilian Neymar also at the club, his influence was expected to lure the striker to Barcelona, but the 19-year-old was in favour of Guardiola’s City.
Jesus, recently dubbed the “new Neymar” is one of Brazilian football’s brightest prospects. He was named Best Newcomer in the Brazilian Championship this year after scoring 10 goals in 14 leagues starts for the club and 26 goals in 67 games in total. This is an extremely impressive ratio considering Gabriel plays on the wing.
Jesus, who is currently travelling with the Brazilian Olympic team, is waiting for permission to fly to the Etihad to complete the move.
When he does arrive at City, Gabriel is expected to be deployed mainly on the left flank. Blessed with breathtaking pace, he has the ability to consistently take on defenders and leave them in his wake. According to his youth coach Bruno Petri, he is also an extremely hard worker and a team player. This is what his youth coach had to say about the starlet, “He is a boy who is easy to speak with and work with and who is different to the others in training, always giving more than 100 per cent.”
Clubs including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United were all interested in signing the talented forward, but City have come out ahead.
After missing out on Jesus, matters have gone from bad to worse for Barcelona with Ivan Rakitic expressing his desire to leave the Spanish Champions. The arrival of Andre Gomes has led Ivan Rakitic to call it quits on his time at Barcelona.
