Man City sign Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus for five years

Manchester City FC on Wednesday confirmed the signing of Brazilian teenage striker Gabriel Jesus for a reported transfer fee of 27 million pound ($35.97 million) from Palmieras in a five-year contract to begin from January 2017.

The 19-year-old Palmeiras player becomes City's sixth signing of the summer, joining Leroy Sane, Ilkay Gundogan, Nolito, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Aaron Mooy at the club.

City Director of Football Txiki Begiristain said: "We are delighted that Gabriel has chosen to join us. 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."

City reportedly beat off competition from some of the continent's biggest clubs -- Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Juventus to land his signature and so supporters will be eagerly awaiting his touchdown in Manchester in January.

Jesus said: "Manchester City is one of the best clubs in the world so I'm really pleased to sign. 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."

Kicking off his amateur career at Associação Atletica Anhanguera six years ago, Gabriel went on to join Palmeiras in 2013 where he made a name for himself with a phenomenal 54 goals in 48 matches at youth level.

His first professional goal soon followed away to Agremiação Sportiva Arapiraquense on July 15, 2015, the only goal of the two-legged tie.

Since, Jesus has netted 26 goals in 67 first team games for Palmeiras, his goalscoring ratio improving with each passing month of his fledgling career.

He is currently preparing for the summer Olympics on home soil where, together with Neymar, it's hoped he will fire the team to the only major honour missing from Brazil's collection.

Legendary striker Ronaldo is a fan, declaring: "I am betting on two great talents that are still developing but already show a lot of skill: Santos' Gabigol and Palmeiras' Gabriel Jesus. And they haven't even turned 20 yet."

--IANS

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