The most recent academy graduates to join the first team are Kasey McAteer, Wanya Marcal, and Ben Nelson, so we’ve looked back at some former prospects.
The academy of Leicester City has had a banner year. In addition to developing Harvey Barnes, who might command a £38 million transfer cost, they also promoted four youngsters from the development group to the first-team levels.
While Jakub Stolarczyk has preserved three clean sheets in his first three outings for the club and Ben Nelson has finally made his league debut, Kasey McAteer and Wanya Marcal have enjoyed their first league starts for the team and scored their first goals.
However, what happened to some of the former academy grads. Five of the most promising players in the City have had their careers examined in order to see where they have gone.
One of the most memorable moments from City’s League One title victory, which launched the upward trend that culminated with the Premier League trophy, was Max Gradel’s last-second free-kick against MK Dons.
Gradel first came out of City’s academy when he was 21 years old and was a sensational talent with a lot of speed and stepovers. At the age of 35, he joined his seventh permanent club in July.
In his playing career, the Ivorian has amassed over 100 caps, won the Africa Cup of Nations, won championships in France and Turkey, and scored more than 125 goals for senior clubs. He still possesses it. He scored 20 goals and had 20 assists for Sivasspor last season across all competitions, however he has since signed a two-year contract with Super Lig opponent Gaziantep.
Charles Bassey
Calvin Bassey was a different former City prospect who moved this summer. With Fulham, the defender made his way back to England after leaving Ajax for £18 million.
He’s the one who escaped to Man City, left before even playing in the first team. He joined Rangers and although it didn’t make an immediate impact, his development has exploded as he transitioned from left-back to centre-back, earning him a spot in the Europa League Team of the Season. of the League as the Scottish giants finished in second place.
He moved to Ajax for £20m, but recreating his form from Rangers in the Netherlands is a daunting task and the manager has told him he is unlikely to play in the season. this award. So he went to the Premier League, where he was sent off in his second appearance for the Cottagers.
Sidney Tavares
There was a brave attempt to keep Sidnei Tavares at City, as Brendan Rodgers offered him a chance in the first team despite his age. On his Premier League debut, he became the 10th youngest player to feature in the club’s squad.
But that was not enough to convince him to stay and he joined Porto instead. During his two years there, he did not play for the club but became a regular in the B team of the Portuguese second division last season.
Now 21 years old, he is moving again this summer, to the United States to join the MLS Colorado Rapids team. They finished last at the Western Conference when he arrived and where they stayed, with Tavares’ first three appearances ending in three 9-0 aggregate losses.
Joe Dodoo
As one of only three players to score a hat-trick on his Man City debut, alongside Jeff Schlupp and Archie Gardiner, big things are naturally expected of Joe Dodoo. The goal against West Ham after their hat-trick at Bury added to the excitement.
But no other goals came. That season’s loan spell at Bury failed and he left Rangers at the end of the campaign. He spent three years there, two of which were on loan, and has since played for Bolton, Ankara Keciorengucu, Wigan, Doncaster and Burton, neither team for more than a season. The 25-year-old left the Brewers at the end of last season and joined Dogan Turk Birligi in northern Cyprus last month. Harry Panayiotou
Harry Panayiotou also scored on his City debut, a late Championship winner against Leeds, and in the years that followed, he frequently found the back of the goal for the club’s development team. But there was no chance to play for the first team again.
Since then, he has spent the majority of his career in the National League. His 12-goal season for Aldershot in 2020–21 earned him a transfer to Livingston in the Scottish Premiership. But it only lasted a short while, and he soon found himself back in Aldershot, where he had spent the previous 18 months before this summer’s release. The 28-year-old is currently searching for a new team.
He currently has 11 goals in 30 international appearances for the Caribbean island of St. Kitts and Nevis.
