Manchester City complete £27m Gabriel Jesus signing from Palmeiras

The 19-year-old will join the club in January on a contract that runs until 2021.

While City did not specify the fee paid for the forward, it is widely reported that the initial sum will be £27 million with numerous add-ons.

"Manchester City is one of the best clubs in the world so I'm really pleased to sign,” Jesus told the club’s official website.

"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."

Jesus scored 26 goals in 67 games for Palmeiras and is set to represent Brazil at the upcoming Olympics.

"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," said City director of football Txiki Begiristain.

Jesus is City’s sixth signing of the summer after the captures of Leroy Sane, Ilkay Gundogan, Nolito, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Aaron Mooy.

City have got some good business over the line already this summer but this could genuinely be their best bit. Gabriel Jesus turned professional barely a year ago, making his senior debut for Palmeiras in March 2015, so his rise has been sharp.

As City note on their website, he has scored 26 goals in 67 games for the Brazilian club. A highly impressive return for a 19-year-old and even more so for one who is nominally considered a winger rather than an out-and-out striker.

On first inspection, it may look a large outlay for someone who is yet to represent Brazil at senior level. However, he would have been in Brazil’s Copa squad were it not for a visa issue but considering the Selecao’s travails at Copa América Centenario that was no bad thing. A strong showing at the upcoming Olympics - where he will operate in tandem with Barcelona's Neymar - would have only inflated his transfer fee further.

City have not only signed a player with huge potential but one who is already good enough to start for them. At £27 million, that is a snip.