Gabriel Jesus to Manchester City: 'Before long my decision will be known,' says Brazilian forward ahead of £20m move
The 19-year-old has attracted the courtship of Manchester United and Barcelona in the past
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Your support makes all the difference.Gabriel Jesus has confirmed his “future is almost decided” as Manchester City plan to unveil the Brazilian forward as the latest signing of the Pep Guardiola era at the Etihad Stadium.
The 19-year-old, speaking ahead of the Olympics where he will represent his country in Rio next month, has attracted the courtship of Manchester United and Barcelona in the past months but is expected to join in a deal worth in the region of £20m.
Jesus is currently contracted to Palmeries and appears likely to be joined in Guardiola’s squad by Everton’s John Stones and Schalke midfielder Leory Sane as City’s spending approaches the £100m-mark ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
“My future is almost decided,” Jesus said at a Brazil press conference. “My family, my representatives and Palmeiras know where I want to go but now I’m totally focused on winning gold for my country.
“The agreement is almost done but I’m completely concentrated here. Before I came here I was in negotiations but now that I’m here I’m leaving it to my parents and my agents. Before long my decision will be known.”
Guardiola admitted on Thursday for the first time that he is interested in signing Stones with the Catalan also providing an update on his pursuit of Sane.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss watched his side secure a penalty shoot-out victory against Borussia Dortmund in China on Thursday but was aggrieved when Sergio Agüero’s opener was cancelled out in added time by Christian Pulisic.
After already confirming deals for İlkay Gündoğan, Nolito, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Aaron Mooy earlier this summer, Guardiola was quizzed on the prospects of adding Stones and Sane among his ranks.
“Sane is a player from Schalke. If he comes, we'll be happy. If he stays, I'll be happy for the Schalke fans,” Guardiola told reporters. “[In Stones' case,] it's the same answer for Sane - he's a player for Everton. Everyone knows we're going to try but we will see.”
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