Fabrizio Romano confirms medical for Manchester City midfielder to cut short five-year contract | OneFootball

American-born midfielder Alex Alcala is set to leave Manchester City and sign for Mexican top-tier side Queretaro FC, as per a new report.

Alcala was born in California but spent time trialing with the Blues and Barcelona in his youth. Aged 15, he joined the LA Galaxy academy in 2020 before signing a professional contract with the MLS side in February 2021.

Later that year, it was officially announced that Manchester City had a pre-arrangement with LA Galaxy, granting them the right to first refusal if any other side were to pay Alcala’s buyout clause when he would turn 18.

In 2023, the versatile midfielder made his debut in the MLS Next Pro, officially classified as the third-tier of the US pyramid, though it is a league entirely made up of MLS feeder teams.

Alcala played 22 times for LA Galaxy II, now known as Fort Ventura, scoring three goals and being selected for the MLS Next All-Star game. The Mexico youth international finally secured a formal move to Manchester in January 2024, signing a five-year deal with City.

He made eight appearances and scored one goal for City’s U18s in the second half of the 2023-24 campaign as they finished in second place in the northern section of the U18 Premier League, even training with the first-team squad from time to time.

Unfortunately, the last 18 months have far from gone to plan for Alcala. Despite now being 20, he has failed to make an appearance for Manchester City’s U21 side.

This is particularly damning given City’s youth side have so been desperate for options numbers in the middle of the park that 22-year-old Kian Breckin has been used as a makeshift replacement in a deeper role this season.

It is probably because of this lack of game time that Alcala has decided to end his time in Manchester less than halfway through his initial five-year deal in England.

As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Alcala is in Mexico as he undergoes a medical ahead of a move to Queretaro FC, who are backed by an ambitious new ownership group, in the hopes of earning minutes in senior football.

Alcala will go down with the likes of Kayky and Marlos Moreno as foreign stars who signed for Manchester City with a big reputation and high potential but were ultimately unable to deliver in a sky blue jersey.

Manchester City retain a richness of academy talent on the verge of breaking into the first-team ranks and Guardiola will be cognisant of upcoming stars in the club’s youth sides as he needs all the ammunition he can get in the second half of the season to lead the Blues to silverware.