London // 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!”
Germany striker Kruse back at Bremen
Germany striker Max Kruse completed his transfer back to Werder Bremen on Wednesday, insisting football is his main focus after a series of off-field indiscretions at Wolfsburg last season.
Bremen have reportedly paid nine million euros ($10 million) for the keen poker player who captured the headlines by forgetting 75,000 euros in a Berlin taxi last October, then rowing with a female reporter in a nightclub in March.
His behaviour led to him being kicked out of the Germany squad by head coach Joachim Loew and scuppered his chances of playing at the European Championship.
The 28-year-old left Bremen in 2009 for spells at Hamburg-based St Pauli, Freiburg, where he made his Germany debut in 2012, and Borussia Moenchengladbach before joining Wolfsburg in July 2015 and scoring just six goals in 32 league games.
Having been reprimanded and fined by Wolfsburg last October for misplacing the huge sum of cash, the striker is seeking a fresh start.
“Football is the centre of my life,” Kruse said, after his medical, in a press conference when asked about last season’s antics.
“I listened to my gut feeling and heart for this transfer.
Senegal midfielder Diame joins Newcastle
Senegal midfielder Mohamed Diame has dropped down a division to join Newcastle United from Hull City, his new club announced on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old, capped 28 times, has signed a three-year contract and is reported to have cost Newcastle £4.5 million ($6 million, 5.4 million euros).
Newcastle were relegated from the Premier League last season, while Hull were promoted from the Championship after Diame scored the only goal against Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off final.
“It is a great feeling to be a Newcastle player,” Diame said in comments published on the Newcastle website.
“Everybody close to me knows how desperate I am to play in the Premier League again, but when Newcastle comes in for you it makes you think.
“I am looking to the future. Newcastle is a big name, a massive club and will be back in the Premier League, for sure.”
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez said: “Mohamed is a strong, attack-minded player with a lot of fight and determination to his game.
“He has good experience of the Championship and the fight needed to win promotion, which will be important for us.”
Hull are currently without a manager after Steve Bruce resigned last month.
Leicester swoop for Poland winger Kapustka
Premier League champions Leicester City signed teenage winger Bartosz Kapustka from Polish club Cracovia for a reported £7.5 million ($10 million, 8.9 million euros) on Wednesday.
Kapustka agreed a five-year contract with Leicester after catching the eye of Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri with his international performances for Poland over the last year.
The 19-year-old has linked up with his new teammates in Stockholm ahead of Leicester’s International Champions Cup friendly against Barcelona on Wednesday.
“Leicester City Football Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Poland winger Bartosz Kapustka, subject to FA, Premier League and international clearance,” read a statement on Leicester’s website.
Kapustka made more than 60 appearances for Cracovia, with his impressive form leading to a debut for Poland in September 2015.
He was part of Poland’s Euro 2016 campaign and gave an outstanding display in their victory over Northern Ireland.
As Leicester gear up for their title defence, Kapustka is Ranieri’s fifth signing of the transfer window following the arrivals of Luis Hernandez, Ron-Robert Zieler, Nampalys Mendy and Ahmed Musa.
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