Premier League: Manchester City sign Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus for £27 million

London, United Kingdom: Manchester City have signed 19-year-old Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus from Palmeiras on a five-year contract, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday.

Jesus, who is reported to have cost City an initial fee of £27 million ($36 million, 32.2 million euros), will remain on loan at Palmeiras until December before moving to Manchester in January.

He is currently on duty with hosts Brazil at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

“Manchester City is one of the best clubs in the world so I’m really pleased to sign,” Jesus said in comments published on the City 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!”

News of Jesus’s arrival comes a day after City announced the signing of Germany international Leroy Sane from Schalke 04 for a reported fee of £37 million.

In total he is new City manager Pep Guardiola’s sixth signing, following Ilkay Gundogan, Nolito, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Aaron Mooy.

City’s 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 atManchester City in January.”

A pacy, skilful player who can play right across the front line, Jesus was named Best Newcomer in the Brazilian top flight in 2015.

He joined Palmeiras from amateur side Associacao Atletica Anhanguera in 2013 and scored a staggering 54 goals in 48 matches at youth level.

He duly made his first-team debut in a Sao Paulo state championship match against CA Bragantino in March last year and went on to score 26 goals in 67 games.

Jesus has represented Brazil at under-20 and under-23 level and will appear alongside Barcelona superstar Neymar, to whom he has been likened, at the Olympics.