Manchester City have made an offer and decided to have a double-take on signing two English midfielders, but there could be significant competition from their Premier League rivals.
Guardiola’s record from his youth proves Neville wrong
Pep Guardiola has had a spotty record when it comes to signing youth players, with perhaps his biggest failure being allowing Cole Palmer to leave for Chelsea, and the Man City manager has been criticized in the past by Gary Neville.
The former Manchester United man spoke after Guardiola opted to keep his squad small rather than having youth players on the bench for the 2021/22 game against Burnley. “I think it’s a joke, I definitely think it’s a joke.
“If you’re the manager of Manchester City’s academy or reserve team, you think, ‘What a waste of time’. Forget the fact that they spent so much money and put six players on the bench… For me it’s like a protest.”
To be fair, City manager’s reluctance to promote young players did not come at a cost, as the team won a Champions League and four Premier League titles on a spin and has since continued to introduce the likes of Oscar Bobb and Nico O’Reilly into the starting XI.
In a report from The Boot Room, journalist Graham Bailey says Man City have made offers for two more young players, Middlesbrough midfielder Anton and Bailey Palmer, who have confirmed they have decided to leave the Championship side.
However, there could be stiff competition for the Palmer brothers’ signature, with Man United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Chelsea all making proposals of their own.
Brighton & Hove Albion have also been named as potential guardians for the duo, with the pair expected to move to their new club, with the young midfielders expected to announce their next move later this week.
‘Highly rated’ Palmer twins could be exciting long-term additions for City
Both Middlesbrough stars are only 16 and have yet to feature in the Championship club’s first team, but they have already featured in the first-team squad, which is a very encouraging sign.
Both England youngsters also made their debut for the Three Lions Under-17s, making six appearances in total, which shows they are on the right path to becoming future stars.
Given their age, it’s unlikely that the twins will become regulars in Man City’s first team anytime soon, but it’s clear they have huge potential and given the level of interest, it would be exciting if Guardiola’s side can win the race to sign him.
