Wrexham boss admits Pep Guardiola may demand Manchester City star’s return from season-long loan | OneFootball

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson lauded Manchester City loanee Issa Kabore after the full-back’s match-winning performance in a 3-2 win over Norwich City.

Kabore is spending the 2025-26 season on loan in Wales as he navigates the final two years of his current contract with Manchester City, whom he joined in the summer of 2020 from Belgian outfit KV Mechelen.

Since his move to the Etihad Stadium, the 24-year-old has spent time on loan at CFG-owned ESTAC Troyes, Marseille, Benfica, Luton Town and Werder Bremen to keep progressing his development in the hunt of a break and permanent transfer.

A route into the Manchester City first-team has so far appeared unlikely for the Burkina Faso international, who is into the final two years of his current deal at the Etihad Stadium and is likely to leave the Blues and start a new chapter in the summer of 2027.

Holding an impressive CV for a 24-year-old with experience playing in Europe’s best leagues, Kabore will not have a shortage of suitors when he does intend to call time on his prolonged spell at the Etihad Stadium.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has been impressed with the left-back’s recent displays in the EFL Championship, lauding the on-loan Manchester City star for his all-round performance in a hard-fought 3-2 triumph over Norwich City a few weeks ago.

Kabore provided two assists for Wrexham against the Canaries and was solid as ever in defence to heap huge praise from Parkinson – at a time when the English manager’s future at the STōK Racecourse has come into question after his side’s subdued start to the 2025-26 season.

Speaking to The Athletic, Parkinson said: “What can I say about Issy (Kabore)? The medical team were behind me and saying, ‘His sprint distances are completely off the scale, can we get him off?’

“But he (Kabore) was doing such a good job defensively. For us, we have had very attack-minded wing-backs in recent years. He is that. But we also needed someone with a defensive mindset as well.

“In one-vs-one situations against a really good player in (Papa) Diallo, he (Kabore) had to stick to his task. I just hope Pep (Guardiola) doesn’t get a video of the game as he might want him back!”

Manchester City retain an option to call back Kabore from Wrexham in January as they navigate life beyond Kyle Walker without a like-for-like replacement, having sold the 35-year-old England international to Burnley in the summer.

Rico Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov and Matheus Nunes have shared the workload at right-back since Walker’s departure and Guardiola seems content with the current options at his disposal to operate at right-back, with John Stones also capable of playing on the right side of defence should the need arise.