Another path to a potential place in the Manchester City first-team is emerging for City’s youngsters | OneFootball

The pathway from City’s academy to the Manchester City first-team isn’t straightforward. It can take twists and turns and can be a slow and patient process. Phil Foden, Nico O’Reilly, and Rico Lewis rose through the ranks of City’s academy to become important members of Pep Guardiola’s current squad. James Trafford and Max Alleyne left City on loan, and in Trafford’s case then permanently, before establishing themselves in the City first-team setup. It takes time for a youngster to graduate from City’s academy system to become a bona fide Manchester City player.

This season has seen a host of Manchester City’s top young talents leave on loan to play in the Championship. While there is Vitor Reis, and now Claudio Echeverri playing with Girona, playing in the Championship could become a fast track to the City first-team. Especially given the strength of the Championship and what circumstances that talented young players City send out on loan in the Championship will have to contend with.

There are four key examples of Manchester City sending top young prospects out on loan in the Championship.

It is hard to gauge which of the talented Manchester City youngsters stand a chance of establishing themselves in the City first-team set up. For every Phil Foden, there is a Morgan Rogers who blossoms after leaving City’s academy set up. Looking at the current crop of City youngsters, excluding Vitor Reis and Claudio and, Divine Mukasa, Stephen Mfuni, Sverre Nypan and Max Alleyne have all gone out on loan to the Championship. Alleyne and Nypan returned to Manchester City in January. Mfuni and Mukasa left loan during thr January transfer window.

Each of Nypan, Alleyne, Mfuni and Mukasa will face a varying set of circumstances in the Championship. Nypan arrived at Middlesbrough on loan hoping to learn what the English game is about. He got a taste of what it is like playing at a club chasing promotion. Nypan’s chances were limited at Boro. But the lessons he learned should set him up for what lies ahead in England.

Max Alleyne seized his opportunity at Watford before being recalled by Manchester City. He established himself a key player in Watford’s defence. He also matured as a player while playing regularly in the Championship. This shone through when Alleyne was recalled by City and stepped into Manchester City’s defence when City’s centre-back stocks took a hit. Stephen Mfuni has followed a similar path to Max Alleyne. He arrived at Watford last month and has already made two starts for Watford and showed he can play in the Championship. The issue Mfuni may face is the endless carousel of managers at Watford. But adapting to that situation could prove to a priceless step in Mfuni’s development.

Divine Mukasa could be a key player in Leicester’s bid to stay in the Championship.

Divine Mukasa joined Leicester City on loan during last month’s transfer window. He joined a Leicester side fighting relegation and which lacks creativity in the final third. Mukasa grabbed a goal and picked up an assist in his first start for the Foxes. Although Leicester blew a 3-nil lead to lose 4-3 to Southampton, Mukasa showed that he could greatly aid Leicester’s bid to stay in the Championship. The experience of playing and contributing to Leicester’s cause could quickly accelerate Mukasa’s development as a player.

Pep Guardiola has spoken on what Stephen Mfuni and Divine Mukasa can gain from playing in the Championship.

Speaking ahead of Manchester City’s fourth-round FA Cup tie against Salford City, Pep Guardiola was asked if sending Divine Mukasa and Stephen Mfuni on loan to the Championship was a change in approach to how City handle their young players development. Guardiola said it wasn’t, but that Mukasa and Mfuni should learn plenty while playing at Leicester City and Watford. He explained: “No, they can learn to compete better than here with the second team without competition. That’s the only reason.”

“I’d like to have Divine and Stephen, of course, but it’s good for them to grow up. And the other players that were loaned I’d like to have; sometimes [you] cannot because you have Riyad [Mahrez] in front of [you], Bernardo [Silva], Raheem [Sterling], Leroy [Sane], and everybody fit. Sometimes it is a question of space. But I’d love to have players stay here with me or with us, than be sold or be loaned.”

Manchester City does seem to be intent on sending their brightest young prospects to the Championship. Pep Guardiola has denied this, but it would seem that way. It does seem to be a smart move by City even if it has happened by coincidence. The Championship is one of the stronger leagues in Europe, and playing at such a level at 17 or 18 years of age is much better than playing in Manchester City’s EDS side at a certain point. Also, the circumstances that the City youngsters have to contend with at Championship clubs should greatly aid their growth and maturity as players.