After first coming to the world’s attention at the 2013 Fifa Under 17 World Cup in the UAE, Brazilian playmaker Nathan has sealed a move to Premier League champions Chelsea.
Nathan, 19, was one of the stand-out players at the 2013 tournament, scoring five goals before Brazil were eliminated by Mexico on penalties in the quarter-finals.
Premier League rivals Manchester City reportedly also were interested in Nathan, but it appears he opted for a move to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea has not confirmed the move, but Nathan posted a photo and caption on his Instagram page, below, announcing his arrival.
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“A dream is coming true! First of all I want to thank God for always lighting my way, my dad who always believed in my talent and was a real warrior while helping me to reach my goals, my family and friends who always supported me,” he wrote.
“And I am also thankful to Club Atletico Paranaense, which was part of this journey and where I played for 6 years of my career. Thank you Chelsea for trusting in me, I will do my best to support my team on reaching new achievements. WE ARE ALL BLUE.”
The deal taking Nathan to Chelsea is reported to be worth £4.5 million (Dh25.7m).
Since lighting up the U17 World Cup, Nathan had broken into the Atletico Paranaense first team, although a contract dispute preceded his move to Chelsea.
Nathan will join several Brazil compatriots at Stamford Bridge next season, including Oscar, a player he has already drawn comparisons with, Willian, Felipe Luis, and Ramires.
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