Despite Manchester City’s star-studded team, there are two exciting wonderkids on the verge of breaking into the first team at the Etihad.
Manchester City are often accused of simply buying their success. This instinct that the success at the Etihad is just manufactured from the extreme wealth of being a State owned club, often overrides the praise for the quality of football or innovative nature of the tactics.
With players like Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, Manchester City are a team filled with global stars of the game. They have brought in players who have stayed at the club and won trophies, most recently the Premier League at a canter last season.
Cross-city rivals Manchester United are also big-spending, but the nature of their wins was slightly less pointed at their wealth than it is with the Citizens. At least, until recently. Largely, this is due to the fact Manchester United brought through ‘The class of ’92’, a group of home-grown players who stayed with the Old Trafford outfit through their trophy-laden Ferguson era.
If Manchester City could produce players out of their academy who went on to taste success in the first team, simple talk about their wealth may be silenced.
With that being said, here are the two wonderkids on the verge of breaking through under Guardiola…
Phil Foden has shown his incredible ability in the England youth set ups.
His small 5ft 7 frame is comparable to that of players such as Eden Hazard and Lionel Messi. Like those players, Foden has seriously tight control of the ball and an excellent ability to dribble with the ball at his feet.
The 18-year-old Stockport-born player is a product of the Manchester City academy system.
Foden showed signs of breaking into the team last season, making five Premier League appearances, expect him to feature much more regularly next season in Sky Blue.
The Spanish wonderkid could well make a breakthrough at the Etihad in the coming season. He joined Manchester City as a 16 year old for €200,000 from Malaga.
Like Foden, he is a player with amazing technical ability who made 5 Premier League appearances last season. The ability he possesses whilst dribbling with the ball at his feet is quite sensational and could well set the Premier League alight next season.
A typical Guardiola player with his intelligence and ability, he could yet become one of the Premier Leagues best.
