Is Manchester City academy about to deliver on promise?

Time Stamp: February 13, 2022 6:51 AM

manchester city academy

On the wall of the reception area at the Manchester City academy is a quote from the club’s owner Sheikh Mansour. “We are building a structure for the future not just a team of all-stars,” it says, indicating City’s intention to become a self-sustainable organisation at the some point in the future. The academy is central to that ambition.

Until recently, this quote wasn’t worth much. City have spent around £1 billion on transfers over the last decade or so with Pep Guardiola’s team one of the most expensively assembled in football history. Things are changing, though. A pathway between the Manchester City academy and their first team is starting to emerge.

Of course, Phil Foden is the poster-boy for the Manchester City Football Academy. The 21-year-old moved through every age group at Manchester City before becoming a key figure for club and country. Not only this, Foden is one of the most technically able players produced in England for a long time. He set a precedent for future graduates.

More academy products are now making their breakthrough for the Premier League champions. Cole Palmer, for instance, has caught the eye with a number of his performances this season. The 19-year-old, who is capable of playing in a number of different positions, has made four Premier League appearances and can expect to make many more in the years to come.

“Cole has a special quality in front of the box, a talent that is difficult to find,” Guardiola explained after a goal-scoring performance by Palmer against Club Brugge in the Champions League. “When he has the ball there, most of the time, it ends up in the net. “It’s difficult to find that. I know how it works with young players. We have to be calm and patient. His position is the second team, but at the same time, he trains with us and works with our principles.”

Liam Delap is another youngster who is highly thought of at the Etihad Stadium with the striker given a chance to make an impression off the bench in the FA Cup victory over Fulham. Described as a “typical British striker” by Guardiola, Delap gives Manchester City a different option in the attacking third.

“He has special qualities,” Guardiola said after the win over Fulham. “He’s an incredible finisher. He needs to improve when he drops, with the first touch. The only problem we’ve had is injury after injury after injury. He will dictate the plan to me. It depends on his behaviour and performance.”

Delap wasn’t the only Manchester City academy graduate to be given an opportunity in this match with James McAtee also introduced off the bench for the final 10 minutes. Even in this short period of time, the teenager was able to catch the eye of his manager. “Look at McAtee today,” said Guardiola. “He played exceptionally. He was moving in the right spots and every touch he made the action was better.”

Taylor Harwood-Bellis is another who can counted among Manchester City’s core of homegrown talents, although the 20-year-old is out on loan at Stoke City for the season. The England Under-21 international is known for his ability on the ball, something that will surely see him presented with further opportunities in the City first team by Guardiola in the future.

Manchester City might not be ready to rely on their academy system to sustain their first team right now, but its productivity is starting to reach the levels Mansour promised when he first bought the club. The conveyer belt has already delivered Foden and there might be many more like him soon to arrive along the production line.

 

 

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