Manchester City forward joins Juventus on free transfer after 11-year Etihad Stadium stay | OneFootball

Highly-rated Manchester City academy prospect Justin Oboavwoduo has ended an 11-year stay at the club to join Juventus on a free transfer.

The 2006-born striker joined the Citizens at the age of eight and ascended through the ranks before signing a scholarship deal in 2022, later helping the Sky Blues edge Sunderland to the Under-18 Premier League title.

After improving drastically over the years, Oboavwoduo signed his first professional contract at Manchester City at the start of the 2024/25 season after impressing at the Etihad club at both Under-18 and Under-21 level, testing himself against senior opposition, too.

The England Under-20 international – who is also eligible to feature for Nigeria – faced the likes of Oldham Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and Rotherham United in the EFL Trophy and scored one goal in the competition. 

To add to his experience, Oboavwoduo was a member of England’s squad in the 2023 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, scoring two goals in their opening group game against New Caledonia, before making his Under-19 debut as a substitute during a 5-5 draw with Germany last year.

And while Oboavwoduo is yet to make his England debut at senior level, his creativity, pace, and influence at Manchester City has attracted Juventus – who signed the forward on Sunday, as first reported by Fabrizio Romano. 

In a post on Instagram, Oboavwoduo said on his exit, “My journey at Man City has come to an end. Beyond grateful for the experiences I’ve had which I’ll cherish for life. I wish all the players and staff the best of luck in the future.”

The 19-year-old is leaving Manchester City without a single first-team appearance to his name but a whole host of experience at youth level. Across the Under-18s, UEFA Under-19s and Under-21s, Oboavwoduo has scored 44 goals and provided 18 assists in just over 100 games.

As it turns out, Juventus pose an ameliorate future for the striker – who is much more likely to play consistent football than he would if he stayed in England – competing with the likes of Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush at City. 

The deal, which came following Adin Licina’s move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, was first agreed as a free transfer, but according to Simon Bajkowski, could rise to £2.6 million including add-ons. 

Various reports also suggest the striker will continue to develop with Juventus’ Under-23 set-up, with long-term planning in place for him to compete with the club’s first-choice forward Dusan Vlahovic one day. 

For what is a massive step in Justin Oboavwoduo’s future, the 19-year-old’s potential brings excitement for the Old Lady as the Under-23 side look to climb the Serie C Group B table, currently ranked sixth and pushing for an advanced spot in the play-offs.