Kaden Braithwaite is the latest Manchester City starlet to earn a promotion to Pep Guardiola’s first team but who exactly is this youngster who has shot onto the scene out of nowhere?
Even the most ardent of Manchester City supporter must have been taken off guard by the inclusion of Kaden Braithwaite in the starting XI against Watford in the Carabao Cup.
Pep Guardiola had suggested he would ring the changes to his team as City had to play just two days after the gruelling 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
So the inclusion of EDS graduates James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly, alongside established first-teamer Rico Lewis, was hardly a surprise. Braithwaite, however, came out of nowhere.
The youngster, who hasn’t even got a profile on City’s official website yet, has only a handful of appearances for the Under-18s and even less for the Under-21s, yet has already made his first-team debut.
Here is everything you need to know about the new kid on the block.
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How old is Kaden Braithwaite?
Kaden Braithwaite was born on March 25, 2008. As of February 2025, he is 17 years old.
That makes the teenager City’s third youngest player of all time and the youngest since the 1980s. Glyn Pardoe holds the record after debuting at 15 years and 341 days in 1962.
Paul Simpson, who debuted in 1982, was four months younger than Braithwaite when he played his first game for the club.
Instagram and X/Twitter accounts
Braithwaite has an official Instagram account with just over 9,000 followers, a number that is certain to rise. You can help that happen by following him @kadenbraithwaite.
He does not appear to have an official X, formerly Twitter, account.
Where does Kaden Braithwaite play?
Braithwaite is a versatile defender, capable of playing at either centre-back or left-back. He can also be deployed in midfield.
He has started all four of City Under-18s’ league games this season, keeping three clean sheets all at centre-back. The one defeat came when he was on the left.
Braithwaite’s first start for Guardiola comes at left-back, with John Stones and Kyle Walker playing in the middle.
What is Braithwaite’s number?
Braithwaite has been assigned the No.61 by City.
Is Kaden Braithwaite good?
According to The Athletic, Braithwaite has caught Guardiola’s eye in training in recent weeks, with his impressive physicality for his tender years being duly noted by the manager.
O’Reilly, who also started against Watford, has a similarly large stature and Guardiola praised the midfielder to the hilt during pre-season.
Braithwaite, who has been with City since signing at Under-9 level, has already been named vice-captain by new U18s boss Oliver Reiss.
Praise for Kaden Braithwaite
City fans were left impressed by Braithwaite after his debut and he earned praise from former City man Kit Symons.
On the club’s official full-time show, the pundit said: “As I said, physicality wise, he’s a big lad, he can more than hold his own physically and looked so comfortable on the ball and looked really accomplished there tonight.”
“As I said, very comfortable, didn’t try and force things with his passing, kept the ball really, really well and looks like he’s going to be a really good player for Man City for many years to come.”
Kaden Braithwaite stats
| Appearances | Apeparances | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Red cards |
| U18s | 20 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| U19s | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| U21s | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| First-team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 31 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
