Palmeiras manager Cuca thinks Manchester City will get an even better, more developed player when Gabriel Jesús joins them in January. The 19 year old agreed a €32m deal to join the Premier League side last month, but will finish the Brasileirão campaign with Palmeiras before joining.
Jesús has just been called up for the senior Brazil side for the first time, following his role in the country’s first Olympic gold medal for football in August, and Cuca believes that Gabriel will take to life in England just fine.
“He is 19 years old. He will be 20 by December and he will learn a lot in that time, we will teach him a lot. It is essential. He likes contact, can blast past defenders with speed, he plays with his head up. It’s going very well. It’s hard to find a player like that.”
Cuca insists that it was Jesús’ decision to stay with Palmeiras until the end of December, with the team currently leading the Brasileirão after 23 matches, “All credit to Gabriel, because he wanted to stay. If he wanted to leave, he would. He is the boss.
“I am very happy with his professionalism. He gives his all in the games and in training he does the same thing. He is a boy who is golden. And no doubt, he will further develop in his career because he is a great professional,” Cuca concluded.