Jesus joins Arsenal as Phillips seals Manchester City move

It is a case of one in and one out at Manchester City as the midfielder Kalvin Phillips joins from Leeds United while the forward, Gabriel Jesus, leaves for Arsenal.

Phillips, 26, has arrived for £42 million and signed a six-year deal at City while Jesus, 25, has moved south for a reported £45 million.

In a transfer first reported by The Times last month, Jesus reunites with Mikel Arteta, once a coach at City and the Brazil forward said that his new manager was a big factor in his move.

 “I believe 100 per cent in Mikel. I had a very good time with him before, he’s a very good guy and a very good coach as well,” Jesus said.

“We would always stick together after the training sessions and do some finishing or something. He’s a very intelligent guy and was an amazing player.”

Phillips becomes the second summer signing for the Premier League champions after they confirmed the Norwegian forward, Erling Haaland, had agreed a contract last month.

City beat off competition from West Ham United, Chelsea and Aston Villa to land Phillips and the England midfielder explained his decision to leave his boyhood club, where he made 235 appearances, after eight seasons.

“Throughout my childhood I’ve always been a Leeds fan. I have always loved Leeds and it is all I have ever known,” he said. “To come here is a big decision for me. It is a decision that took a lot of thinking about. It was just more the fact that I wanted to experience something different, how different teams work and how the fanbase works as well.”

Phillips, who has been given the No 4 shirt, was earmarked as the ideal replacement for Fernandinho, who left the club after nine years, and they believe he has the right attributes to fill the void left by the Brazilian.

City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, said: “Kalvin is a player that we have long admired, and at both domestic and international level, he has proved his fantastic ability and quality over the past few seasons.

“His reading of the game, alongside his passing ability, energy and drive make him a formidable talent and he is a player who has a fantastic will to win. We feel he will be a superb addition to our squad and that he will complement our game perfectly.”

City are next expected to make a move for the Brighton & Hove Albion full-back, Marc Cucurella, as they look to make their third signing of the window