Manchester City fans have hit out at reports claiming the club is open to selling another of their young stars this summer.
Although Manchester City have strengthened their ranks considerably this term, they’ve also been open to moving a number of their young talents on.
For instance, James McAtee is set to join Nottingham Forest, while a number of other players that were in and around the first team have been loaned out.
Now, Rico Lewis could be next to leave the Etihad Stadium, and a number of City fans are hoping this is not the case.
Manchester City fans don’t want Rico Lewis to be sold
On Friday, Manchester City News relayed a report claiming that the Citizens are ‘open to allowing Lewis to leave if the right offer came in’, with a price tag in excess of £30million mooted.
Fabrizio Romano has since reported that Lewis is keen on a move to Forest, with discussions under way between the Reds and City.
One City fan wrote on X: “This isn’t just about Rico Lewis – it’s about what selling him says about Manchester City’s academy philosophy.
“It implies the club values short-term squad optimisation over long-term integration of academy products.
Another said: “My guts are telling me that City won’t replace Rico Lewis this summer and that Matheus Nunes & Khusanov will be our RB options.
“In my opinion, we do need a proper RB. But I also understand that the RB market is difficult especially with Livramento unlikely to leave Newcastle.”
There was further criticism, with one fan saying: “We’re actually a disgrace selling the soul of our club for pure profit.
“It’ll be Bobb and O’Reilly next – I don’t know how Foden’s survived, surprised they haven’t been tempted to sell him.”
Another said: “Rico Lewis is a good player with great potential. He can operate in midfield, playing as a number 8.
“I just don’t understand what’s going on with my club, throwing away future players for experienced ones who can’t perform well more than a year or two.”
Another fan said: “So if we sell Rico Lewis we have Nunes and what, Akanji?! As our right-back options.”
How Manchester City appear to have learned from Cole Palmer mistake
City well and truly screwed up when they allowed Cole Palmer to leave for Chelsea with virtually no strings attached.
Palmer has now become one of the best English players in the Premier League and City will simply have to live with it.
Since then, City have sought to include things like buyback clauses and/or sell-on clauses when selling players.
With at least one of these clauses, they can either re-sign a player – as was the case with James Trafford – or at least benefit financially further down the line.
This is the case with McAtee and, as per the Daily Mail report, could also be the case with Lewis.
