Arzani signs for Man City

LONDON: Australian teenager Daniel Arzani has been hailed as one of the country’s “brightest young stars” by a Manchester City director after he signed for the Premier League champions on Thursday.

The Iran-born 19-year-old joined from the champions’ sister club Melbourne City and is expected to be sent out on loan. He was the youngest ever member of an Australia squad for a World Cup finals and played in all three of their group matches in Russia.

Arzani — who put down his talent to playing street football in his birthplace of Khorramabad — follows compatriot Aaron Mooy, in treading the same path to City.Mooy is now at Huddersfield Town where he played a pivotal role in their promotion to the Premier League in 2017.

Arzani — who was also the youngest player at the World Cup finals — joined Melbourne City in 2016, the following 2017-18 A-League campaign became his breakthrough season, where his exciting attacking play saw him win a host of admirers, culminating in him being named the league’s Young Footballer of the Year award.