City are busy recruiting and scouting Europe’s best young talent as they build for the future, but success could be just around the corner.
Reports in the media over the last two days are suggesting that Manchester City are embarking on a mission to snap up some of the most highly rated young talent int Europe.
The latest teenager linked with the club is Le Havre teenager Jules Ntcham, in addition to the recruitment of Austrian 17-year-old Sinan Bytyqi.
They already have the talented Juan Roman in their ranks, as well as Devante Cole, son of former United striker Andy, while even Roberto Mancini’s son Andrea is on their books.
What City have to do now is cross their fingers that a number of their young guns make it to the top.
The club certainly have the right approach in mind, it may not be popular with fans of smaller clubs, but if Financial Fair Play rules are even implemented, buying the cream of the talent young is City’s cut-price gateway to success.
The club are also busy in developing a new training academy, which has hit a stumbling block in the planning process, but should eventually be built to rival Barcelona’s renowned La Masia complex.
What Manchester City need to do is give the youngsters at the club encouragement.
In January they lost teenage centre-back Frederic Veseli to rivals Manchester United because he felt there was simply no of forcing his way into the first team. Whether that proves a shrewd move or a mistake time will tell.
With City’s squad so packed with stars, as they chase Premier League and European success, it makes life difficult for young talent to get the playing time even on an occasional basis.
If City did achieve a remarkable turnaround this season and snatch the title, it may relax their approach a bit, having reached part of their goal, and start blooding the youngsters.
If they don’t win the league, Roberto Mancini will have to decide how to approach next season. Instrumental in his plans should be John Guidetti.
The promising Swedish striker has scored 20 goals in 23 games for Dutch club Feyenoord on loan, and could feature against England at Euro 2012.
Not including Guidetti in his first team next season would be a big mistake, as it would send out completely the wrong messages to the rest of City’s youngsters.
If they see that despite hitting the perfect notes in their development at the club and on loan they still will not get a chance, they may well decide to take the Veseli route out of City, believing the club does not give youngsters a fair chance, and to be reasonable who would blame them?
Give Guidetti a chance and it will give the rest of the academy plays inspiration to blossom, and even help attract more young talent from around Europe.
Chelsea are a club who made the mistake of not blooding their youngsters, allowing Scott Sinclair, Fabio Borini and Miroslav Stoch all to leave the club amongst others.
Despite years of Abramovich’s reign and youth focus, after a decade left-back Ryan Bertrand is looking like becoming only the first player to make a breakthrough.
City can’t afford to let a decade be wasted. They are making the right moves off the pitch with their youth development and steady progress on it, even if they finish second.
They must marry the two as soon as possible, and John Guidetti represents the perfect opportunity to do so.
image: © mafue
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
