MANCHESTER CITY have beaten rivals Manchester United and Arsenal to the signature of 15-year-old Barcelona left-back Juan Larios, according to reports.
City boss Pep Guardiola will raid his former club to land a player heralded as “the next Jordi Alba”.
Barcelona’s Juan Larios is set to sign for Manchester City
The Daily Record are reporting that City have outbid Premier League rivals Manchester United and Arsenal to secure the services of the Spanish youngster when he turns 16 in January.
Sources close to the deal suggest that City’s financial terms were significantly better than those offered by other Premier League clubs.
United and Arsenal were unwilling to stump up the money to match the salary package City agreed with the player.
Barcelona will receive less than £338,000 in compensation mandated by FIFA.
City’s Abu Dhabi owners are keen to increase the number of talented European youngsters on their books before Brexit threatens to derail certain moves.
Talented youngsters such as Jadon Sancho and Brahim Diaz are both City academy products who have been sold on for big profits and the club’s owners will hope they can continue to run a successful academy after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
Larios will join City in 2020 after his 16th birthday under European Union freedom of movement laws after deciding his future lay away from La Masia.
Barca’s young left-back Juan Larios has been compared with Jordi Alba (above) but is set to leave the Nou CampCredit: Reuters
However, future moves for overseas-based players aged 16 are set to end once the United Kingdom leaves the EU.
FIFA are thought to have told the Premier League EU dispensation will continue for their clubs during a transition period but that looks likely to end in December 2020 according to the new UK government.
It is reported that City were able to lure Larios to the Etihad as they convinced him the number of Spanish staff and players in their ranks would help him adapt to English football.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
