Manchester City’s signing of John Stones blocked Tosin Adarabioyo from the first-team; now Everton could take advantage.
When Manchester City unveiled their £200 million Etihad Campus academy in 2014, the expectation was that a club who have made it into the big time by paying huge sums for ready-made superstars would also start growing their own.
Three years on, however, City could be set to lose one of their most exciting prospects for nothing. The Scottish Sun report that Everton are challenging Celtic for 19-year-old centre-half Tosin Adarabioyo with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.
And after failing to feature in a single Premier League game under Pep Guardiola this season, the report adds that the England youth international has no inclination of extending his stay in Manchester.
Celtic could well be in the box seat for Adarabioyo’s signature after two of his fellow Etihad graduates made significant steps forward in their careers on loan at the Scottish champions.
Jason Denayer impressed in green and white last season while Patrick Roberts will return City this summer after an excellent 18 months north of the border.
However, the fact that Everton manager Ronald Koeman has shown no qualms about giving his young players, particularly Tom Davies and Mason Holgate, opportunities in the first-team could convince Adarabioyo to choose Goodison over Celtic Park.
And the fact he will be available for nothing more than a minimal compensation fee will only sweeten the deal. Especially after City stole prized asset John Stones for £47.5 million last summer, as reported by The Guardian.
Twelve months on, however, Everton can take revenge by taking another highly-rated, homegrown centre-back in the other direction.
And while Stones has struggled to settle at the Etihad, a number of high profile positional errors and under hit back passes raising his ‘flop of the season’ stakes, City may be forced to watch on as Adarabioyo develops into one of England’s top young centre-backs on Merseyside.
Ironically, it was the signing of Stones that denied Adarabioyo his opportunity at The Etihad.
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