4 Manchester City Youngsters Who Could See First-Team Action in 2015/16 Season

The need for clubs to produce home-grown players is clear. Both the Premier League and UEFA have, over the past two seasons, introduced rules that force clubs to name a certain number of players who are considered home grown.

Manchester City are struggling, as it stands, to fulfil the criteria next season. With the departures of Frank Lampard, James Milner and Dedryck Boyata, City now need to find talent that ticks the home-grown box. 

Some may come externally. The likes of Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley would certainly be attractive, and there are a number of other options they could consider.

But they also have a handful of options under their nose. Their EDS side, managed by Patrick Vieira, has excelled this season. The Frenchman has introduced an attractive style of football, and his young players have responded with a series of impressive performances. 

The jump from academy level to first team has never been bigger at City, and no one expects their current crop to seamlessly become regulars in Manuel Pellegrini’s XI overnight, but there are a few candidates who could at least play an active role, augmenting the quality already in the squad next season.

Here are four options for Pellegrini to consider.

Marcos Lopes

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Having spent a largely successful season on loan at Lille last season, many feel Marcos Lopes will be ready to supplement Pellegrini’s squad in the coming campaign.

Lopes has already made a few appearances for the City first team. There have been highs, such as his display at Upton Park in the second leg of City’s League Cup semi-final in 2014, but he’s also struggled, such as the FA Cup tie with Watford in January 2014. 

But his year in Ligue 1, where he made 23 appearances, has been crucial in readying him for more regular top-level first-team football.

The 19-year-old playmaker has wonderful technical ability, and he will be keen to use his season-long loan in France as a platform for involvement in City's first team. 

Jason Denayer

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Another loanee last season was Jason Denayer, who spent a year with Celtic. He was a crucial player in their league-and-cup double win, making 44 appearances, and he now has Champions League and Europa League experience. It was a perfect loan opportunity for everyone involved.

As a result, the 19-year-old is now a part of the Belgium squad. He played in their recent 4-3 win over France and was widely praised. It seems he has a big future.

With Dedryck Boyata having left City permanently to join Celtic, it seems Denayer could take his place in the squad. But whereas a feeling persisted that Boyata was there simply to make up the numbers and fulfil “home-grown” and “club-trained” criteria, Denayer has more to offer.

Karim Rekik

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Karim Rekik, who has spent the last two seasons on loan at Dutch Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven, is at a serious crossroads in his City career.

It doesn’t seem realistic to send him on loan for another season, but given he is likely to attract interest from sides in the Netherlands after impressing at PSV, he will want guarantees about the amount of playing time he would get if he returns to City for the coming campaign.

With Denayer’s emergence, perhaps the need for Rekik, 20, is reduced.

However, Rekik’s ability to slot in at left-back and centre-half is a huge bonus, particularly given City’s left side of defence has looked somewhat shaky in recent times.

Brandon Barker

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Brandon Barker, 18, may not be ready for regular involvement in the senior side, and, in fact, a loan move is likely to materialise at some point in the near future, but he is a huge talent that the club must surely have earmarked for the top.

Barker was part of the small cohort of youngsters the club took on their midseason trip to Abu Dhabi to play Hamburg in a friendly and also made the squad for the post-season trip to Canada and the U.S. 

Skilful, confident, supremely talented and capable of scoring outrageous goals, Barker is one to keep an eye on. He could play in cup games this season in order to assess his suitability to senior football.