Man City signing Yan Couto reveals clause that could double his transfer fee

Yan Couto has revealed the fee Manchester City paid to sign him from Coritiba will double if he plays a certain number of games in five years.

The 17-year-old right-back will join the Premier League side later this year after agreeing to a five-year contract in March.

City agreed to pay the Brazilian side an initial fee of €6 million (£5m/$7m) to land Couto, but they could end up having to pay twice as much if he does enough to make it into the first-team. 

"The clause is to [play] five Champions League or Premier League games in five years," he told Gazeta Do Povo.

"I hope I can do it, then the amount doubles. I think it is very possible and Coritiba will get the other part of the fee."

Couto was supposed to join up with his new team this summer, but he will have to wait because the season has been extended by the coronavirus pandemic.

"I spoke with the City representative and it may still take a while before I can go there," he added. "The season is not over and I can only play next season.

"I don't know if they'll take me until I'm 18. So, I have a great chance of staying another one or two months at Coritiba. [Playing] depends on [Coritiba coach Eduardo] Barroca too.

"I am available, yes, to play some games and say goodbye to the fans."

Couto, who won the Under-17 World Cup with Brazil last year, has been with Coritiba since the age of 10 but will leave without making a first-team appearance for the club,

He has been left disappointed by the lack of faith they have shown in him, but believes it is the club's loss as his value would have skyrocketed had he been given a chance. 

"If I had played professionally last year, I knew I could be worth around €20 million, like Renan Lodi or like Bruno Guimaraes," he added, referring to the former Athletico Paranaense stars who joined Atletico Madrid and Lyon, respectively.

"So, I think that it doesn't make much difference. The only difference is that [Coritiba] didn't bet so much on me to go professional because my contract was ending too.

"I could have been valued at much more.

"I was discouraged, but they said that Serie B was a very tough game and I understood. But at least from July or August onwards I could have been playing already.

"I love the club. I want to go out the front door. The board did what they imagined. They are afraid of players leaving for free, but I would never do that."