Manchester City transfer news: Gabriel Jesus names the club he would love to play for

Gabriel Jesus
(Image credit: PA Images)

Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus says he has unfinished business at former club Palmeiras.

Jesus moved to the Etihad Stadium in January 2017 after two years in the Palmeiras first team.

A deal between the two clubs had been agreed the previous summer, but Jesus wanted to stay put until the end of the Brazilian season.

The striker has since scored 74 goals in 171 games for City in all competitions.

He is expected to start up front when Pep Guardiola’s side face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

And although he is settled in Manchester for now, Jesus has admitted he would like to go back to Palmeiras one day.

“I had been a professional for only two seasons in Brazil,” Jesus recalled in an interview with Yellow and Green Football.

“At the Olympics, when the deal came through, I had this feeling of leaving a beautiful story behind – of giving something back to Palmeiras, you know? The club invested so much in me and I wanted them to feel all the love that I still have in return. 

“So, I asked to be with them until the end of the Brazilian season because I wanted to be a Brasileirao champion with that squad, with my friends. 

“To be honest, I feel that this was just one chapter of my story with Palmeiras. There will be more in the future.”

Jesus made his debut for the senior Brazil team in 2016 and has now won 41 caps.

The striker was criticised for his performances at the 2018 World Cup and he is keen to make amends in the next edition of the tournament in Qatar next year.

“I always believed in myself, in my talent and my work ethic, because I am very dedicated. It was not the World Cup that I dreamt of [in Russia], but experiencing it was still good,” he added. 

“It makes me want to give my best in every game here in Manchester, because I want to be called up by Tite for the Selecao’s next games, to be in the 2022 squad and to make it better and very different from what happened in 2018. 

“I feel I am playing well, helping those around me in matches, but I admit that I need to improve my finishing. Sometimes I make a pass when I should shoot instead, but there is room to grow and time to learn.”

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