A facet of Manchester City’s recruitment that often goes under the radar is how the club bolster their academy by signing incredibly gifted young players.
Pep Guardiola’s side do not merely intend to strengthen their senior side every transfer window.
Instead, Manchester City scour Europe to recruit several talented youngsters with the hope of incorporating them into the first-team.
For instance, Oscar Bobb is a player who City signed as a teenager in 2019.
The Norwegian is now a first-team player at Manchester City who seems destined to have a breakthrough season once he returns from a long-term injury.
Kobbie Mainoo congratulated Divin Mubama after the 20-year-old’s move from West Ham United to City was confirmed.
This summer, Manchester City raided Chelsea’s youth ranks to bring Ryan McAidoo to the Etihad Stadium.
Man City think 16-year-old sensation Ryan McAidoo has a big future
McAidoo is a winger by trade who can also play as an attacking midfielder.
The 16-year-old was in Chelsea and Colchester’s academies before his move to the Sky Blues.
Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester City are “extremely happy” with their decision to sign McAidoo.
Furthermore, Romano claimed that City are “convinced” he could become an “important player” for them in the future.
The Englishman is playing for Manchester City’s Under-18s side currently.
Manchester City inserted a buy-back clause when selling Liam Delap to Ipswich Town — a player who they also signed from Derby County as a teenager.
However, Delap has gone on to become one of the most promising young strikers in the Premier League after developing at City for a number of years — proving how astute of a buy he was in the first place.
What are McAidoo’s stats this season?
McAidoo has been impressive in City’s academy ranks.
Due to how well he has started at his new club do Manchester City perhaps feel that they have a potential top player in the making.
Leaving Chelsea to sign for City would have been a difficult decision for the teenager for a number of reasons. But a look at McAidoo’s statistics is an indicator of how he has taken the move in his stride.
| RYAN MCAIDOO STATS FOR MAN CITY’S U-18s | |||
| COMPETITION | GOALS | ASSISTS | GAMES |
| U=18 PREMIER LEAGUE | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| UEFA YOUTH LEAGUE | 0 | 3 | 3 |
The highly-rated attacker has most played on the right flank this season.
But against Sparta Prague’s Under-19 side, the versatile forward played on the left-wing.
Manchester City will be hoping McAidoo continues to develop at the rate he is and become a first-team player one day.
