A young Manchester City defender is set to leave the club this summer despite Pep Guardiola predicting great things for him.
City have one of the best youth academies in world football, meaning every year they produce young players who they need to find homes for.
A select few – such as Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis – will become part of Guardiola’s first-team squad, but most will move on to pastures new.
Last summer City set a club record for academy sales, offloading Gavin Bazunu, Romeo Lavia and Sam Edozie to Southampton.
This summer they could break that record, having already sold Shea Charles to the Saints and James Trafford to Burnley.
A number of other young players, including Liam Delap and Callum Doyle, have left on loan, with more set to follow.
Left-back to go out on loan
Another youngster who will spend this season out on loan is left-back Josh Wilson-Esbrand.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the 20-year-old will spend the season on loan at French side Stade de Reims.
Wilson-Esbrand has been on the fringes of the first-team in the past couple of seasons, and last summer made an impression on Guardiola and his coaching staff during City’s pre-season tour in the United States.
The young defender particularly impressed in City’s pre-season win against Bayern Munich, during which he looked comfortable defending against the likes of Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane.
After that match, Guardiola described Wilson-Esbrand as “so intelligent“, and made a bold prediction about his future.
He said: “The guy has a good one-v-one, doesn’t feel the pressure in the ball. How much our back-four will press, he didn’t lose many balls. He did a really good game. If we can control him and avoid injuries we can have a full-back for many years.”
Wilson-Esbrand spent the second half of last season on loan at Championship side Coventry City – along with fellow City youngster Callum Doyle – but failed to nail down a regular starting spot at the promotion chasers.
He will now head to Ligue 1 to continue his development and prove to City that he has a future at the club.
