New Delhi: Manchester City are one of the best teams in the world and have won everything there is to win in club football. The club’s first team is stacked with rising and established stars like Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, and Jack Grealish amongst others. Apart from the first team stars, the club’s academy has also been one of the best in the world, producing players that light up the stage for whatever team they play for.
Since the club was taken over by their Emirati owners, building a successful academy was one the main focus of the club and they succeeded in doing so, setting up what they call, the ‘Elite Development Squad (EDS)’. The EDS is a predominantly the club’s reserve team that plays in Premier League2 and are responsible for the development of the players that are beyond the level of the academy but still need some polishing.
Current Manchester City stars Phil Foden and Rico Lewis both played for the EDS before moving into the first team. The EDS acts as the club’s B team which is responsible for developing future stars. It has not only given world football some brilliant players but has also produced a manager like Enzo Maresca. Manchester City B is a key cog of the club’s functioning as it helps them either churn the profit or helps them produce quality players for the first team.
Chelsea’s duo of Jadon Sancho and Cole Palmer are two of the most known Manchester City products playing for another club, but they aren’t the only ones. City’s academy have produced some of the best players that are currently plying their trade for other teams across Europe and are proving to be vital for their respective sides. Here’s a look at 5 players that you might not have known to have come up through Manchester City’s academy.
5) James Trafford (Burnley)
Academy keeper James Trafford is set to make the bench tonight with Ederson and Carson out. pic.twitter.com/UwwrIL6IiU
— City Chief (@City_Chief) January 6, 2021
The current Burnley number one, James Trafford gained prominence last season when he left the Sky Blues to join Burnley, then-managed by Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany. While he couldn’t save his team from relegation last season, he put in a good showing for himself. He made his Premier League debut for the club against Manchester City and won the man of the match award for his performance in a 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion where he made 10 saves.
Trafford is still a very young keeper with a full career ahead of him, he gained valuable experience with Burnley last season as he made 28 appearances for the club. He’s started this season in great form for the Claret and Blues, helping them sit fourth after the first seven games. The 21-year-old has made six appearances, has only conceded four goals, and kept two clean sheets.
4) Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (Borussia Dortmund)
Jadon Sancho on his Instagram story last night after 20 year-old Jamie Bynoe-Gittens bagged 2 goals & the MOTM award in the UCL 👀🤝🏼
A reminder both took the step from leaving London academies to join Man City at young ages… Before heading out to Dortmund to develop & play… pic.twitter.com/UDbm0P1IJB
— Rising Ballers (@RisingBallers_) September 19, 2024
Borussia Dortmund is a club that is synonymous with producing young talent. We’ve all seen the likes of Christian Pulisic, Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and many more dazzle fans with their performances in the yellow and black. So it may come as a surprise that the latest Dortmund younger who’s captivated the fans, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, is actually a product of the famed Manchester City academy and left the Cityzens in 2020 to join the German outfit.
Bynoe-Gittens recently made the news after he scored a brace in Dortmund’s 3-0 win over Club Brugge but he has been performing brilliantly for them ever since breaking into the first team in 2022. He started the 2023/24 season with the club as a teenager and went on to achieve 10 goal contributions in 34 games and has started this season on fire as well. This season he already has five goal contributions in seven games and looks set to be the next breakout star for Dortmund.
3) Yan Couto (Borussia Dortmund)
OFFICIAL: Manchester City have announced the signing of Brazilian right-back Yan Couto.
The 17 year old has agreed a five year deal.
Welcome @yancoutoo2! 👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/Xg6zbn6yav
— City Chief (@City_Chief) March 2, 2020
Sticking with Dortmund, we have their new signing Yan Couto who was also a part of Manchester City’s academy and recently left the club permanently. If not for Rico Lewis, Couto could’ve made the right back spot his own at the Etihad stadium but with Kyle Walker still the first choice and Pep being a fan of Lewis, Couto did the same thing that Jadon Sancho did, he left Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund.
The Brazilian gained prominence last season after he was a part of Girona’s dream team and led them to their first-ever UEFA Champions League campaign. An attacking right back, he was immense for Girona last season and got 10 assists in La Liga in just 34 games for the club. His form for the City’s feeder club drew the attention of many of Europe’s elite but Dortmund whisked him away from City as they still look to replace Achraf Hakimi on the right flank.
2) Tosin Adarabioyo (Chelsea)
🔥🔵🔷 In @ChelseaFC next season, City’s player acquisitions:
✅ Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was City’s youth team coach and Guardiola’s assistant.
✅ Cole Palmer, Manchester City Academy
✅Roméo Lavia,Manchester City Academy
✅ Tosin Adarabioyo,Manchester City Academy pic.twitter.com/wyskDeUr89
— Damn! (@Oluchiii_XXX) June 1, 2024
Chelsea’s summer recruit, Tosin Adarabioyo is another member of Manchester City’s illustrious academy who never played in the Premier League for the club’s first-team. The now 27-year-old was born in London but was raised in Manchester which allowed him to join City’s academy in 2003 and he remained at the club till 2020. He made the step-up to the first team in 2016 but his play-time was limited because of City’s depth in defence.
He went out on loans multiple times before leaving the club in 2020 when he joined London side Fulham for a measly fee of £2million. He would go on to become an important player for the club, helping them achieve promotion in the 2021-22 season. He made 25 appearances for the club last season which only began for him in November due to a groin injury and left the club after his deal expired to make the short trip across to Chelsea.
1) Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)
🇳🇱 Jeremie Frimpong (Manchester City) pic.twitter.com/4TiEPhYtCS
— Yes, He played for (@YesPlayed) February 3, 2023
Bayer Leverkusen’s star full-back and quite possibly the best attacking full-back in the world right now, Jeremie Frimpong was once a part of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad. Despite being a Dutch International and being born in Amsterdam, Frimpong joined Manchester City at the tender age of nine and played regularly for the club’s youth teams in the Premier League 2 and the UEFA Youth League. However, he didn’t see his future at the club given Kyle Walker was one of the club’s regular starters so he left for pastures new and joined Scottish side Celtic where he remained till 2021.
The move proved to be fruitful for him as he was voted as the club’s Young Player of the Season by the fans in his final year at the club and he moved to Leverkusen. In Germany, he recently became an invincible with Leverkusen as he helped his team to their first Bundesliga title last season as they went the entire campaign unbeaten. Frimpong was a key cog in Xabi Alonso’s team, chipping in with 26 goal contributions in all competitions and already has five in his first eight games this season. He has all the attributes to become one the best attacking full-backs of all time if he continues like this.
Manchester City have a world-class academy which has churned out big stars across the globe. Let’s dive in to find out 5 players who came through the ranks at City but not a lot of people know about. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
