Brentford target transfer swoop for Manchester City goalkeeper – Etihad officials eye replacement | OneFootball

Manchester City already have a replacement in mind should a potential suitor secure the signature of highly-rated Academy goalkeeper, Oliver Whatmuff.

The teenager has been a standout figure in City’s youth system for several years, having joined the Club at Under-8s level before signing a scholarship in 2024. Whatmuff’s style drawn comparisons to City’s first-team approach; comfortable in possession, precise with distribution, and authoritative in one-on-one situations.

Whatmuff’s development accelerated last season when he became a key part of the Under-18 side, making 30 appearances across all competitions, including a memorable performance against FC Midtjylland in the UEFA Youth League saving and scoring a penalty to send his side through to the Round of 16.

Since then, Whatmuff has made the step up to senior football with a loan at Rochdale, currently top of the National League. His form has been exceptional after six clean sheets in his first 10 appearances, and those outings have unsurprisingly not gone unnoticed among Premier League scouts.

While City are keen to retain their best academy prospects, they have seen increasing interest in their young goalkeepers in recent years, particularly after the sales of Gavin Bazunu and James Trafford – prior to his return in the last summer market.

Now, according to the information of journalist Alan Nixon, Brentford are watching City’s Oliver Whatmuff and are planning to sign him from the Etihad Stadium given his star performances at both England youth level and on loan at National League leaders Rochdale.

It is explained the Bees are assessing ways of signing the teenage goalkeeper, offering him a ‘better path’ to the higher levels of the game. At City, Whatmuff faces a longer road to the first-team, although the club will reportedly target loans in the next years to improve experience.

From the side of Manchester City, while the club do not want to lose Whatmuff, it is claimed that they already an eye on Sunderland’s Matty Young as a replacement for the role of lead emerging goalkeeper within the City Football Academy.

Young is currently starring on loan at League Two side Salford City and is already on the bench for England’s Under-21s despite being just 18-years-old.

Should Brentford’s interest progress into a formal offer, the west London club could provide Whatmuff with a more direct path to Premier League football, having earned a reputation for integrating young players into their first-team environment earlier than other sides.

City, meanwhile, are open to solutions that protect investment. As seen with previous academy graduates, a structured sale including sell-on or buy-back clauses could be negotiated, ensuring the option to re-sign Whatmuff should he continue his rapid development elsewhere.

If Manchester City do lose Whatmuff, the transition to Sunderland’s Matty Young as the next academy goalkeeping leader could happen swiftly, with the teenager’s progression mirroring the trajectory the Etihad side want to maintain within their youth ranks.