Emerging Socceroos star Daniel Arzani has officially signed for reigning Premier League champions Manchester City from sister club Melbourne City.
Arzani has caught the attention of a number of European clubs after his impressive cameo performances for Australia at the World Cup.
The 19-year-old spoke of his delight at joining the Sky Blues.
“Having the chance to train and play in Europe is a dream come true and a challenge I’m confident will only help me improve as a player,” Arzani told Melbourne City’s official club website.
“Melbourne City has a unique position in Australia with a clear pathway for young, ambitious players to first challenge themselves against Australia’s best, and then progress to Europe to play against the world’s best.
“Watching players like Aaron Mooy play at City before moving to the Premier League has been a great inspiration and, with the world-class coaching and facilities we have in Melbourne, it’s always felt attainable.”
Melbourne City coach, Warren Joyce, believes the sky’s the limit for the prodigious winger.
“Daniel has worked hard over the past couple of years and took his chance when it came,” said Joyce.
“We’ve got a talented group of young players at Melbourne City and Daniel’s move provides even more drive for them to further their development in the senior squad.”
Arzani broke into Melbourne City’s side midway through the last A-League campaign, and immediately showcased his daring approach to beat defenders with his mesmerising dribbling ability.
It is expected Arzani will be immediately loaned out to Scottish giants Celtic, after he attended the club’s Champions League qualifying match against AEK Athens at Celtic Park overnight.