Manchester City ‘schedule meetings’ over potential double-Championship transfer raid | OneFootball

Officials from the Premier League champions have turned their attentions to the Championship over a potential double-raid on one club for two rising starlets.

It is the latest pursuit of rising names within the English game from Manchester City, who have been at the very forefront of talent identification and recruitment over the last 12 to 24 months in particular.

Among the names to have been recruited by those within the City Football Academy offices are Xavier Parker from West Ham, as well as Coventry City and England youth international defensive talent, Marlow Barrett.

Many believe that Manchester City is currently the strongest place within the game for young talents to be nurtured, whilst the City Football Group portfolio gives young names the opportunity to develop within the same footballing vision but at the senior level of the game.

The Premier League champions’ latest pursuit has now taken them to South Wales, where they could face a battle against their city rivals Manchester United over the signing of two of the best names within the Welsh game.

That is according to the information of The Mirror’s Ryan Taylor, who reveals that both Manchester United and Manchester City are competing for highly-rated Swansea City youth duo, Harlan Perry (16) and Brogan Popham (17).

It is reported that both Manchester clubs have now ‘scheduled meetings’ with the teenagers’ respective representatives after registering an interest in their services, despite the former not being able to sign professional terms until he turns 17 in November.

As for Popham, whilst he has already turned 17, the report points out that he is yet to sign a pro deal with the Championship club, with Swansea entitled to compensation should either player leave as they are currently tied down to scholarship terms.

Manchester City and Manchester United are also said to be joined by London giants, Arsenal and Tottenham, but neither club are as interested as the north-west pair when it comes to the Swansea duo.

Manchester City have somewhat of an existing transfer relationship with Swansea City, having exchanged central defensive talent Finley Burns to the Swansea City Stadium on a loan deal back in January, 2022.

One report from 2021 also claimed that those within the Etihad Stadium were impressed with the style implemented at the south Wales club by now-former manager, Russell Martin and saw the club as a potential destination to develop players at the senior level of the sport.