Manchester City complete signing of Marlos Moreno from Atletico Nacional
KEY POINTS
- Colombian international will spend the 2016-2017 season on loan at Deportivo La Coruna.
- 19-year-old winger is Pep Guardiola's seventh signing of the summer.
Manchester City have completed the long-expected signing of Marlos Moreno from Atletico Nacional, the Premier League giants have confirmed. The Colombian starlet has agreed a five-year contract with Pep Guardiola's side, but will spend the 2016-2017 campaign on loan in La Liga with Deportivo La Coruna before having a chance to established himself at the Etihad Stadium.
The 19-year-old winger becomes Pep Guardiola's seventh signing of the campaign, in a deal worth around £4.75m ($6.21m, €5.6m), following the footsteps of İlkay Gündoğan, Nolito, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Aaron Mooy, Leroy Sané and Gabriel Jesus. Yet, Mooy has also been sent on loan to Huddersfield Town for the 2016-2017 campaign, while the Brazilian starlet will not arrive to the Etihad Stadium until the January mercato.
Moreno has been tipped as one of the next big things to emerge from the Colombian prolific academy following his impressive from in the last Copa Libertadores, where he led Atletico to lift the trophy.
The teenager had previously claimed that the opportunity to work with Guardiola had led him to make the decision to move to the Premier League giants and now he added: "City are one of the best clubs in the world. It will be nice to experience being part of such a big Club. I want to make the most of it.
"Pep Guardiola is one of the best managers in the world. I think he likes young players very much and he can improve young players tactically and technically. It will be great to work with him and to be part of a great team."
Meanwhile, City Director of Football Txiki Begiristain believes that he will be a great prospect ahead of the future of the club.
"Marlos is an excellent prospect who has already broken into his national team," the Spaniard said. "He's a versatile player, still learning, but we believe he has a fantastic future in the game and with City. He makes and scores goals and is an intelligent footballer, we're delighted to have signed him."
City are now expected to step up their efforts to sign a defender after Guardiola himself recently confirmed his interest in Everton's John Stones.
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