Manchester City moved to boost their defensive options with the purchase of Spanish attacking left back Sergio Gomez from Anderlecht.
The 21-year-old has moved for a fee of around £11m and will replace the departed Ukrainian Oleksandr Zinchenko who joined Arsenal which left Joao Cancelo as City’s sole option at left back with youngster Josh Wilson-Esbrand as a youthful backup.
After City were gazumped by big spending Chelsea in their pursuit of Brighton left back Marc Cucurella City moved for Gomez who boss Pep Guardiola confirmed would join the first team squad rather than be farmed out on loan to a City group club such as Girona.
Both Cucurella and Gomez were graduates of Barcelona’s La Masia academy but while Cucurella arrived at Stamford Bridge via Brighton and Getafe after leaving Barca, Gomez went through Borussia Dortmund, Huesca, and Anderlecht.
At the Belgian giants, ex-City player and then-manager of Anderlecht Vincent Kompany converted the left sided attacking midfielder into a forward thinking left back and was named the club’s player of the season, registering 6 goals and 11 assists in 39 league games.
City fan Gomez, who will wear the number 21 shirt as a tribute to David Silva, said: “I am incredibly proud and happy to have joined Manchester City.
“City are the best team in England and in Pep Guardiola I have a chance to learn and develop under the most outstanding manager in world football.
“To be able to be part of this club is a dream come true for me and something any young player would aspire to.
“The number of trophies City have won over the past few years has been incredible and the style of football the team plays under Pep is the most exciting in Europe.
“Playing for and being guided by Pep and his coaches is going to be very special.
“I’ve heard so much about the City fans and how passionate they are, so I can’t wait to get started and to try and help the Club achieve even more.”
Director of Football Txiki Begiristain added: “We are delighted to be able to welcome Sergio to Manchester City. He is a very exciting young talent.
“Sergio’s development in recent seasons has been very impressive – he is an accomplished defender with great potential.
“Over the past year, he has gained excellent experience playing in the Belgian League and in Europe with Anderlecht.
“We’re sure that he will bring additional quality to our squad both in defence and going forward and that he will only continue to develop and improve playing under Pep and his coaches.”