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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola snaps up Sporting Kansas City defender Erik Palmer-Brown

The highly-rated 20-year-old will join City next summer after his MLS contract expires

Manchester City have completed the signing of highly-rated American Erik Palmer-Brown.

According to reports in the US, the Sporting Kansas City defender has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal to move to the Etihad when his contract expires next summer.

Man City have won the race to highly-rated American defender Erik Palmer-Brown

Getty - Contributor
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Man City have won the race to highly-rated American defender Erik Palmer-Brown

Pep Guardiola beat a host of other clubs to the 20-year-old Sporting Kansas City youngster

Reuters
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Pep Guardiola beat a host of other clubs to the 20-year-old Sporting Kansas City youngster

The 20-year-old has played in Major League Soccer and was captain of the US Under-2o team that got to the quarter-final of the U20 World Cup earlier this summer.

Man City boss Pep Guardiola is said to have beaten a host of rivals to Palmer-Brown’s signature.

Paris Saint-Germain, PSV Eindhoven and Ajax were among a number of clubs said to be interested.

Palmer-Brown is a Kansas native who came through their academy before making his MLS debut in 2014.

He has been a regular in the first-team squad, although he does not start often.

Palmer-Brown, who also spent a year on loan with Porto’s B team in 2016, has played 18 MLS games since his debut.

Palmer-Brown captained the US at the Under-20 World Cup earlier this summer

AFP - Getty
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Palmer-Brown captained the US at the Under-20 World Cup earlier this summer

The Kansas City local has played 18 MLS games since his debut in 2014

Getty - Contributor
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The Kansas City local has played 18 MLS games since his debut in 2014

Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes was clearly disappointed with the youngster’s decision to leave so soon.

He told the Kansas City Star: “He came to us and said there might be an opportunity.

“I said to him, ‘Look, if that’s what you want to do, then we’ll support you,’.

“He’s played out his contract. It’s happened with other guys.

“It’s just one of those situations.”

Vermes added: “We believed we made him a very good offer in MLS.”

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