City sign 'new Lionel Messi'

| Submit Comments| Comments (20)| Printable Version1/1Play SlideshowClose MapCity have finally landed a teenager who was once described as the ?new Lionel Messi?. Gai Assulin was at Eastlands yesterday to sign a two-and-a-half year deal after the Blues agreed to pay his former club Barcelona £400,000 compensation. Assulin left the Nou Camp in the summer after being brought through the ranks from the age of nine, but falling out with club bosses for a lack of first-team opportunities. He made his first-team debut for Barca at 16 and at the same age won his first international cap for Israel, which is a record. One of his few chances for Barca came last year, when the Blues beat Pep Guardiola?s side 1-0 in the Joan Gamper Trophy match at the Nou Camp. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder has been training with City?s elite development squad for several weeks after recovering from a knee operation, and also played for the youth team in a friendly against Ajax last month. Assulin said: ?I had heard a lot about City, and as soon as I saw the club I wanted to stay. I'm at a great club and I hope to be here a long time. I have to take my opportunity and learn every day in training.? He also revealed that he has been encouraged to come to City by former Barca teammate Yaya Toure, saying: ?I speak with Yaya every day - and I hope to be playing alongside him!? | Submit Comments| Comments (20)| Printable VersionAdd A CommentEnter your comments:Sending

Source: Man_City