Borussia Dortmund have signed Brazil international Yan Couto from Manchester City permanently just two months into his loan spell with the club.
Couto, who was signed by City back in 2020, has never featured for Pep Guardiola and has been sent on several loans.
The versatile Brazilian, who can play in a variety of roles across the right flank, was courted by Manchester City’s European rivals Bayern Munich and Barcelona but chose to sign for the Citizens. He has played 0 minutes since joining the club.
Couto was expected to build game experience elsewhere to stand a chance of breaking into City’s star-studded side. He has been sent on several loan spells that have seen him play in La Liga with Girona, Braga, and currently, Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund.
Speaking on his several loan spells, Couto admitted it was part of the plan with City, he said: “When I signed, I had meetings with Man City, they explained the project, that I would be loaned out, there were clubs like Barcelona and Bayern, but I accepted because I was a member of Man City itself.”
He also admitted he still shares a very good relationship with Manchester City.
“Start at the bottom, but play. I gained a lot of experience, every season 2,500, and 3,000 minutes. I’ve improved a lot. Our relationship is very good.”
He has been a key figure at the Signal Iduna Park so far with Borussia Dortmund, featuring six times in all competitions this season.
Following his impressive performance, the club have decided to trigger the obligation to buy clause on his contract, per Fabrizio Romano.
Who is Yan Couto
Yan Bueno Couto, born June 3, 2002, is a professional footballer who plays in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund and the Brazil national team.
He was born in Curitiba, Brazil, where he lived with his parents, Gilberto and Edina Couto. It was also where he fell in love with football and started playing on the streets.
Yan Couto career
Couto joined local club Coritiba youth team when he was 10. His talent shone with the Coritiba youth team. The Guardian ranked him among ‘The Next Generation 2019’, citing him among the top 60 best young talent in football during that period.
He featured for the Coritiba senior team for the first time in 2020, making his debut off the bench in a 2-0 win against Cianorte.
It didn’t take long for the talented Brazilian to attract interest from top European teams, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all fighting for his signature. He eventually decided to join Manchester City, signing a five-year contract with them.
His period at Manchester City was, however, marked by several loan spells. An appearance on the substitute bench against Leicester City in the FA Community Shield was his only involvement with the senior team during his time with Pep Guardiola.
His first loan spell with Manchester City saw him sent to Spanish side Girona, in the Segunda division. Following the end of his spell with the club, he was sent to Portuguese side Braga, where he spent another season-long loan.
He was sent to Spain again joining Girona in the La Liga. He made significant progress as a player during his second spell with Girona, becoming a key member of the team as they secured Champions League football.
After his Girona spell, Couto joined Borussia Dortmund on loan and has featured six times so far for the German side.
Yan Couto’s career stats
Couto has played for a variety of teams in his relatively short career. He has played for Coritiba, Manchester City (although he never played for them), Girona, Braga, and Borussia Dortmund.
He has played a total of 145 games across that period, scoring six times and providing 18 assists as well.
Yan Couto contract
The Brazilian recently joined Borussia Dortmund on a permanent deal from Manchester City until the end is the season. Now, following the club’s decision to trigger the obligation to buy, he is set for a permanent contract.
