Manchester City defender Yan Couto has finally arrived in England after signing from Coritiba earlier this year.
Couto, 18, was signed for an initial €6m but spent the remainder of last season back on loan at Coritiba. However, the global pandemic delayed his arrival in Manchester.
Couto has previously spoken about choosing City over Barcelona, and how a conversation with Pep Guardiola persuaded him to choose a move to the Etihad. Part of his decision was the promise of joining the first team for pre-season training this summer to fight for a place in the squad, rather than being immediately sent out on loan.
With travel restrictions in place this summer, there was some doubt over whether that promise would be fulfilled, but Couto has taken to Instagram to show him in City training gear at the City Football Academy.
Confirming his arrival at City, he wrote: "Thank my God for another dream come true, playing in Europe has always been my goal.
"Today I am a @mancity player I am very happy and motivated to play in one of the biggest clubs in the world! I’m Citizens."
Couto's arrival is a boost to City's pre-season plans, with a number of players set to be absent from the first week of training due to international call-ups.
As it stands, Couto will join City's other South Americans, including players like Fernandinho and Gabriel Jesus who he met on a previous visit to the CFA. Fringe players like Philippe Sandler, Tosin Adarabioyo, Aro Muric, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle are also expected back.
City's pre-season squad, excluding international call-ups, now looks like:
Ederson, Steffen, Carson, Laporte, Mendy, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Stones, Couto, Sandler, Adarabioyo, Harwood-Bellis, Doyle, Mahrez, Jesus, Aguero.
