Who makes our list of Manchester City’s best young players to keep an eye on in the upcoming season?
After winning their first Premier League championship last season Manchester City have their sights set on more glory. Transfer activity has been fairly muted at Eastland’s so far this summer but nonetheless getting into the first team at City is going to be difficult for any young player but which 5 could make an impact this season?
5. Abdisalam Ibrahim
The Somali born Norwegian youth international signed for Manchester City in 2010 from Norwegian side Fjellhamar. A member of City’s 2008 youth cup winning side the powerful centre midfield player has been compared to legendary French midfielder Patrick Vieira in the past. After a successful loan period at Scunthorpe in 2011, Ibrahim was sent out for an expected season long loan deal with NEC Nijmegen of the Dutch Eredivisie last term but the deal was terminated early after Abdi lost his place in the starting line-up. He will be hoping to get his career back on track next season.
4. Karim Rekik
After helping his Dutch Under-17s side win the European Championship Manchester City signed the left back of Tunisian descent from Feyenoord in 2011. A handful of league cup appearances prefaced a loan spell at Championship strugglers Portsmouth where he became a regular starter and despite the Hampshire side’s inevitable relegation to League One Rekik impressed in his performances.
3. Denis Suarez
Despite being slight in frame this Spanish midfielder has exemplary vision and is capable of dictating the pace and tempo of a game. Sound familiar? Signed from Celta Vigo in 2011 and a regular in Spain’s youth teams he was voted City’s young player of the year in 2012. A t 18 he has been linked with a loan move to Feyenoord next season where he could continue his impressive development.
2. Stefan Savic
Not the most popular choice I’m sure after a myriad of mistakes when filling in for injuries last season were influential in Man City’s dips in form and results. However at only 22 he also showed signs of a class defender perhaps hindered by nerves. Can only get better and next season he may be an important squad member of the first team squad.
1. John Guidetti
He has a task getting into a team blessed with mercurial centre forwards but if anyone can Guidetti can. After stints in Kenya and his Swedish homeland as a youngster Guidetti signed for City in 2008 aged 15. After spells on loan at Brommapojkarna and Burnley last season was the Swedes breakout year scoring 20 goals in 23 league appearances for Dutch giants Feyenoord as they exceeded expectations finishing 2nd in the Eredivisie. Ronald Koeman claims he can be as good as current Swedish talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic and he made his international debut this year. At just 20 years old a loan spell to Lazio has been speculated but wherever he is next season Man City have a gem worth looking out for in John Guidetti.
Here are all Guidetti’s goals from a season where he became a fan favourite in Rotterdam, set to some typically Youtube-ian music. Might want to mute it.
What do you think of these youngsters and any others who might make an impact over the course of 2012-13?
image: © alfonso jimenez
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