Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Gabriel Jesus.
The 19-year-old joins the club from Palmeiras fresh from helping them win their first Brazilian league title since 1994 and is available for selection for this weekend’s game with Tottenham.
He became the sixth signing of the Pep Guardiola era when he agreed a move in the summer, with City beating off interest from Europe’s biggest clubs to land him.
However, he remained at Palmeiras for the remainder of the Brazilian league season in order to complete his commitments to the side he has played for throughout his professional career.
Having helped them secure the title in November with a game to spare, he will now begin life in Guardiola’s first-team squad.
Jesus Gabriel Speaks on arrival
“I want to win titles and Manchester City is a club that is used to winning.
“City is a Club that always competes for the title in the competitions it enters, so that was an important factor, and because of the manager, Guardiola, and the squad.”
The club’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, believes Jesus is a player with exceptional quality. “Gabriel is a technically gifted player who was chased by some of Europe’s biggest clubs and we are delighted he decided to join City,” he said.
“He has the potential to become one of the best attacking players in the game and we look forward to watching him develop further here in Manchester.
“I think with Pep Guardiola as manager and the squad we already have here, Jesus has the perfect platform to reach his full potential.”
Jesus began his amateur career with Clube Pequeninos do Meio Ambiente aged 8, before moving to Associação Atlética Anhanguera.
In 2013, he joined Palmeiras and went on to break the club’s academy goalscoring record with 54 goals in 48 matches – including 37 in 22 in the Campeonato Paulista, Brazil’s under-17 state championships in 2014.