Dario Sarmiento: Manchester City complete signing of Estudiantes wonderkid

Manchester City have completed a deal to sign 18-year-old Estudiantes winger Dario Sarmiento, who will join the club this summer.

City have been pursuing Sarmiento for the best part of a year as part of their recent quest to splash out on some of the game's best youngsters - a mission which recently saw them drop a cool £9m on Fluminense winger Kayky as well.

Kayky won't be heading to the Etihad for a while, but Estudiantes have confirmed on their official website that Sarmiento will join up with Pep Guardiola's side this summer after finally putting pen to paper on a move.

Sarmiento signed a professional deal with Estudiantes just a few days ago to celebrate his 18th birthday, and the club have long been excited about the teenager, who has been compared to Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi because of his playing style.

The timing suggests City were waiting for Sarmiento to turn 18 before getting the deal done, with reports of an agreement having initially been struck between the two sides surfacing back in late 2020.

El Dia report that Sarmiento will cost City just over £5m, with Estudiantes also entitled to 20% of any future sale or another £5m if he does not leave the club during his current contract.

An Argentina youth international, Sarmiento has made 21 appearances for Estudiantes' senior side, operating primarily as a right winger and offering one assist thus far in his young career.

With such little experience, it's hard to see Sarmiento challenging for a spot in Guardiola's first team so soon. Like with Kayky, a loan to one of City's sister sides seems likely - Spanish side Girona the chief possibility in that regard.

Fluminense midfielder Metinho is also expected to follow Kayky to City, who also spent big on youth prospects Pablo Moreno, Filip Stevanovic, Nahuel Bustos, Yan Couto, Diego Rosa and Issa Kabore last summer.

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