"It has taken time for him to come to terms with our league, but he is a real talent," Southgate told the club's official website.
"Barcelona must have seen some of that talent at an early age to have snapped him up when they did.
"He is a quiet lad and a private person. He is very settled off the field and his girlfriend from Brazil is here with him now.
"Football is pretty much what he lives for. He is a typical Brazilian in that he just wants to play."