SNAG KEEPS JESUS ON ICE
THE FA were still studying Manchester City’s registration papers for Gabriel Jesus last night as the wait for the Brazilian forward’s unveiling dragged on. When Jesus landed in the North West on January 3 after signing from Palmeiras in August, City manager Pep Guardiola was optimistic his debut would soon follow. But City were left disappointed yesterday after failing to beat the deadline to complete the deal before tomorrow’s Premier League match against Everton. The FA are still trying to clarify certain points before signing off the £27million move, though City deny there is a confilct over claims of third-party ownership. That was after a rift emerged between the player’s former agent, Fabio Caran, and Palmeiras. Caran insists he still owns a 22.5 per cent share of the player. FA rules forbid third-party ownership but City sources insisted yesterday that a deal for the 19-year-old is almost done. Caran’s association with Jesus ended in 2014 but he argued he will still own part of the player’s rights until Palmeiras pay him a cut of the transfer fee. City rebuffed suggestions that the row is the reason for a delay, saying that a court ruling in Brazil signed off the deal and that they would have been unable to complete the transfer without it. ‘He cannot play — papers,’ said Guardiola. ‘Once Palmeiras and the FA solve the problems, he will be able to play’. Caran — no longer in contact with Jesus — said a court case Palmeiras filed against him has yet to start. He leaked Jesus’s private text messages to him after the decision to take him to court.