Manchester City reject loan offers for academy starlet on brink of first-team jump | OneFootball

Manchester City sanctioned a series of academy loans in the recent transfer window but one prospect from the club’s youth ranks is seen as too good to be sent out on loan.

Hugo Viana’s appointment as director of football has followed a revolution at the Etihad Stadium, with many members of Guardiola’s long-trusted, old guard shown the door to make way for a series of new arrivals.

City failed to challenge for the 2024-25 Premier League title, recording a mere 71 points to mark their most underwhelming showing in a league campaign under Pep Guardiola. They also lost the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace and exited the UEFA Champions League at the Round of 16 stage.

That prompted bosses at the Etihad Stadium to kickstart an overhaul that Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak admitted should have begun last summer, when the Blues won a fourth successive Premier League title and arguably should have conducted a thorough search for replacements for the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker.

A topsy-turvy window ended on Monday, with Manchester City finishing the summer with seven first-team signings – Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Sverre Nypan, James Trafford and Gianluigi Donnarumma.

At the other end, City have parted ways with a series of senior stars who have formed the backbone of Guardiola’s several successful sides since 2017 but are evidently past their respective primes – as was the case with De Bruyne and Walker.

Meanwhile, the likes of Manuel Akanji (Inter Milan) Jack Grealish (Everton), Vitor Reis (Girona), Claudio Echeverri (Bayer Leverkusen) and Nypan (Middlesbrough) make up a list of first-team members who have headed out on loan for regular playing opportunities.

Guardiola’s men have made a lacklustre start to the campaign and it remains to be seen if the Blues – boosted by the deadline day acquisition of Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain – can get their act together in time for a tricky trio of tests against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal after the international break.

Despite having sanctioned loans for several academy stars this summer – including Lakyle Samuel, Oliver Whatmuff and Max Alleyne – Manchester City rejected loan approaches from Swansea City and Ipswich Town for academy defender Stephen Mfuni, as per transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

Mfuni, 17, is considered as a prospect ready to make the step up to the first-team in the near future, with academy coaches deeming the young Englishman a strong candidate to break into Guardiola’s senior squad in the seasons to come.

Phil Foden is a case in point of an academy player Manchester City refused to let leave on loan, gradually integrating the Stockport-born attacker into Guardiola’s ranks for him to establish himself as arguably the greatest talent the City Football Academy (CFA) has ever produced.

Guardiola needs all the help he can get as he navigates as a key period of transition for the club, with no doubt that the Spaniard will be keeping a close eye on talented stars coming through from the academy with potential to play some part in the first-team squad.