Manchester City have completed their second signing of the summer transfer window in the shape of young goalkeeper Spike Brits.
It has only been three weeks since Pep Guardiola’s side completed a historic treble, but already thoughts have turned to the future.
Guardiola’s squad could like quite different come the start of the Premier League season, with several first-team stars tipped for the exit.
Ilkay Gundogan has already joined Barcelona, while the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez, Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva could all leave as well.
City have sought to freshen up the midfield by signing Croatian international Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea for £25m.
Croatian centre-back Josko Gvardiol is expected to follow in the coming days, after RB Leipzig’s sporting director Max Eberl confirmed that the two clubs are negotiating a deal.
Long-term planning
City aren’t solely focusing on the short term though – as their second signing of the summer shows, the Premier League champions are looking to sustain their dominance over the long haul.
On Sunday, 16-year-old goalkeeper Thorsten ‘Spike’ Brits confirmed that he has completed his move from AFC Wimbledon to City.
In an Instagram post, he said: “Delighted to have signed for City and proud to call Manchester my new home. It’s time to get started, cant’s wait! Let’s go City.”
It was reported last month that City had agreed to pay a club-record fee for an academy player.
The England youth international had been with the Dons since under-nine level, but did not make a senior appearance for the League One side.
A huge opportunity
“This is a bittersweet moment for us as an academy because Spike is someone who we’ve seen develop from being a young boy to a young man and that story would have had a beautiful ending if he had progressed and played for the first team,” Dons academy manager Michael Hamilton told the club’s website.
“This opportunity affords him the chance to take his potential into an elite environment, it’s an opportunity of a lifetime.”
Brits will likely feature for City’s U18s in 2023/24, who won the Premier League U18 last season.
