Youth football is in Pep Guardiola's blood. He emerged from Barcelona's famed La Masia academy and then took his first steps as a coach after being appointed manager of the Catalans' B team in 2007. When he became first-team manager at Camp Nou a year later, he promoted players like Sergio Busquets and Pedro, as well as the return of Gerard Piqué, as Barça swept to a historic treble.
Guardiola has seen many talented players emerge from the Manchester City youth academy in his nearly 10 years at the club, but there is one key difference between the two clubs, as most of the youngsters who have come through for City have failed to establish themselves as first-team regulars. While Nico O'Reilly, Rico Lewis and the emblem of the Manchester City youth academy, Phil Foden, have achieved great things for their boyhood club, they are a small minority.
When Guardiola's side face Aston Villa on Sunday, they will face one of the biggest success stories of any player to leave the club: Morgan Rogers, who left City in 2023 for Middlesbrough but has since become one of Villa's most important players and a true rival to Jude Bellingham in the England squad.
Rogers isn't the only one who has proved his former employers wrong since walking out the doors of the City Football Academy (CFA), the heart of the Manchester City youth academyAs Guardiola said last month: “Imagine the number of players who unfortunately left. They were top players and couldn't get the space [in the squad]. My God, the starting XI you could have right now in the first team if you start counting the incredible players at other clubs who were brought up and played here at Man City and in the academy.”
Morgan rogers
Rogers and Palmer were thick as thieves as partners in the Manchester City youth academy between 2019 and 2021, and both scored in the 2020 FA Youth Cup final against Chelsea. But there's no doubt Palmer shone brighter at that level. Rogers, playing on the opposite wing, played half as many games and was far less productive. While Palmer was quickly promoted to the first team, Rogers was loaned out to Lincoln City, Blackpool, and Bournemouth before joining Middlesbrough in the summer of 2023. This made him the brilliant player who won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in his first full season at Villa.
Although City would have loved to have the current version of Rogers, the truth is that no one questioned his departure at the time. Not even Rogers, who admitted: “I wasn't good enough, simple as that. I wasn't ready.”
Cole palmer
Palmer, above any other player in the Manchester City youth academy In the 21st century, he's the one that got away. And while other players exploded after leaving City, Palmer was already doing so while he was with them, and they knew exactly how good he was. He scored 42 goals and provided 19 assists in 61 appearances for the Under-18 and Under-21 sides. City saw how good he was becoming just before letting him go to Chelsea for £42 million.
Palmer could have been Kevin De Bruyne's heir apparent at the Etihad Stadium. Imagine the pride fans felt seeing Palmer emulate Foden as the boy from the club. Manchester City youth academy who became a first-team star.
Jeremie frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong moved from Amsterdam to Manchester at the age of seven and two years later enrolled in the Manchester City youth academyHe stayed there for nine years but felt held back. When he wanted to discuss a new contract in 2019, he was told bluntly that he was too small. Frimpong went to Celtic, where he developed into the great right-back he is today. When he was instrumental in Bayer Leverkusen's 2024 Bundesliga title, many City fans wondered if they had made a mistake. Those feelings were heightened when the team lacked a consistent right-back, and Frimpong joined Liverpool for £29.5 million.
Michael Olise
Michael Olise has gone from being rejected by Arsenal, Chelsea, and City to becoming one of Bayern Munich's key figures. He arrived at City at the age of 15 after being rejected by Chelsea, but failed to make the grade and spent just one season in the CFA. Manchester City youth academy, before joining Reading. There he excelled and was soon in the first team. Crystal Palace signed him for £8 million, a bargain considering they sold him to Bayern Munich three years later for £52 million. His success has the big clubs that passed him over wondering why they missed his talent.
Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho spent just two years at City, but it was in the CFA, the Manchester City youth academy, where he made the huge leap from promising youngster to generational talent. He was frustrated when he wasn't included on the first-team tour in 2017 while Foden was. Sancho negotiated an £8 million move to Borussia Dortmund without ever having played for City's first team. In Germany, he exploded, leading to a £74 million move to Manchester United, from which City pocketed an additional £10 million. However, his performance since returning to England has vindicated City's decision.
Jamie Gittens
Jamie Gittens joined City at 14 and was admired by the City's coaches. Manchester City youth academy, but grew impatient after seeing how Sancho had boosted his career at Dortmund. He moved to Dortmund in the same summer as Jude Bellingham. Gittens made a name for himself last season with 12 goals and five assists, earning him a £52 million move to Chelsea. His slow start at Stamford Bridge suggests City won't regret letting him go.
Liam delap
Son of Rory Delap, Liam moved to City in 2019 at the age of 16, signed by Joe Shields, the club's head of recruitment. Manchester City youth academyUnlike many talented youngsters emerging from the ranks of the CFA, the Manchester City youth academyGuardiola gave him first-team playing time. “He’s the kind of striker we don’t have,” Guardiola said in 2022. An injury and the signing of Haaland hampered his progress. After several loan spells, he was sold to Ipswich Town for 20 million pounds and then to Chelsea for 30 million. Given that City are not short of goals thanks to Haaland, they shouldn’t regret selling him.
romeo lavia
Romeo Lavia joined City from Anderlecht at the age of 16 and quickly impressed. He was soon promoted to the Under-23s and made his first-team debut in the Carabao Cup. However, the club decided to cash in on him, a promising youngster from the Manchester City youth academy, selling him to Southampton for £14.5 million in the summer of 2022. City then earned an additional £10 million when Chelsea signed him for £58 million a year later. His first season at Chelsea was marred by injuries, playing just 32 minutes in the Premier League, justifying City's decision.
