Manchester United have reportedly agreed to pay £32m for Gabriel Jesus amid reports of the Brazilian being close to a move to rivals Manchester City.
Brazilian media outlet Globoesporte have reported that Manchester United have decided to rival their neighbours Manchester City for Palmeiras forward Gabriel Jesus. The report states that the Brazilian club has been notified by the Red Devils’ hierarchy that an official bid of £32m will be made for the starlet in the coming days.
The report adds that Manchester United are one of the five clubs named in the forward’s contract that can sign the player for just £20m if the player desires a move; the release clause stands at £34m for all other teams.
It is also reported that Manchester City are in advanced talks with the player and that Gabriel Jesus is delighted at the prospect of moving to the Etihad to play under Pep Guardiola. However, the Citizens have offered £26.8m, which is considerably lower than what United are reportedly ready to pay. According to UOL, the player has a verbal agreement with Palmeiras to agree to a transfer to the club that offers the most money.
The striker has attracted the attention of most of the top European clubs with his talent and was rumoured to be in the middle of a tussle between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The likes of Inter Milan and Bayern Munich have also been reported to be interested in the forward, but the Manchester clubs seem to be the only ones with a real offer on the table at present.
The 19-year-old has been included in the Brazilian squad for the Olympics and could be on his way to earning his first senior cap for the South American heavyweights. Both the Manchester clubs seem to be in a hurry to close the deal before the Rio Olympics and understandably so, as some great performances by the teen sensation could drive up his asking price further, or worse, result in other top clubs entering the competition for his signature.
