Our Man City fans here inside the Transfer Tavern are truly excited about harvesting the fruits of their hard labour when it comes to the youngsters at the club, with much being made over the academy setup the Citizens have created over the years.

No doubt in our regulars’ minds that City boss Pep Guardiola has some amazing options to choose from within his current first team squad, although much of it has been bought over the years. However, on a more positive note, next season could see an emergence of talent coming through the Citizens youth academy, all looking to make a name for themselves under the spotlight of the Etihad Stadium.

Despite providing many youth players with their opportunity, many are yet to hold down a regular spot in the first-team, amid the Spaniard’s settled side.

Indeed, the journey of which an academy player has to make in order to thrive in the starting eleven is long and often features a couple of spells out on loan. With that in mind, many of the next debutants can expect a little wait before being in the matchday squad on a regular basis.

Although, our landlord thinks these TWO players have what it takes already and in 12 months time you’ll certainly know who they are…

Nabil Touaizi

Signed from Valencia for a tiny compensation at the start of 2017, Touaizi is rated as one of the hottest prospects within the City academy. The 17-year-old forward has scored more than 70 goals in two years at Valencia and although all City’s youth teams play against older age-groups, the Blues coaches had no qualms about involving the then 16-year-old in last season’s U19 UEFA Youth League campaign.

Eligible to play for both Spain and Morocco, Touaizi is both tall and fast, with an ability to hold the ball up as a target man.

Lukas Nmecha

Nmecha was close to the first-team picture in January, whilst City contended with injuries. A tall and powerful striker who joined the club as a nine-year-old, he scored the winning penalty for City’s first team in the Carabao Cup shoot-out against Leicester City in December.

His younger brother, Felix, is also on the books and have both played together, with them both scoring shoot-out penalties, in the UEFA Youth League quarter-final victory against Liverpool.

A talent to be earmarked for a great future, and one that Pep should be using as and when he can.