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It's notoriously difficult to predict what Manchester City's squad will look like in the future thanks to their enormous spending power. The Sky Blues are a dominant force in the transfer market and regularly pull off blockbuster moves, such as their acquisition of Jack Grealish for a Premier League record fee of £100million earlier this summer.
Manchester City's academy continues to produce remarkable talent
The Citizens' ability to spend to no end often overshadows the fact that they also boast one of English football's finest academies. In fact, former Manchester United stars Robin van Persie, Darren Fletcher and Phil Neville all chose to enroll their children at Manchester City's £200million state of the art academy.
Jadon Sancho, Kasper Schmeichel, Daniel Sturridge and Kieran Trippier are among the most recent star players to come through the ranks at City's academy. The club's U23 squad have been especially impressive in recent times and are the reigning Premier League 2 champions.
With a new generation of youngsters looking to break into the first-team, here are five players who could become a vital part of Manchester City's future.
#5 Ruben Dias
Ruben Dias' immense confidence, maturity and leadership make it easy to forget that he is still only 24 years old. The centre-back is already one of the most important members of Manchester City's current squad. Dias was voted the Premier League's Player of the Year as the club romped to the 2020-21 title.
Signed from Benfica ahead of the 2020-21 season for an initial fee of £51million, Dias was a revelation at the back for Manchester City. The Portuguese international's aggression and intimidating physical presence belie his clever reading of the game. Centre-backs tend to age gracefully and Dias likely has over half a decade of elite football left in him.
#4 Liam Delap
While Manchester City have been playing without a traditional centre-forward for some time now, they have a talented striker rising through the ranks. Liam Delap, who is just 18, has already made three appearances for the club and has opened his account for Pep Guardiola's side as well.
Standing tall at over six feet, Delap isn't the typical Pep Guardiola striker but has caught the eye during his time with Manchester City's U23 side. Excellent in the air and lethal in front of goal, he has scored 28 times in 28 games for the youth side.
Having spent significant time around Manchester City's first-team despite his tender years, Delap is primed to break into the first-team in the near future.
#3 Romeo Lavia
Elite holding midfielders are at the heart of Manchester City and Pep Guardiola's philosophy, and the Sky Blues have a gem in the form of Romeo Lavia. The 18-year-old defensive midfielder is a potential successor to Rodri and has captained the club at the U18, U19 and U23 levels.
Lavia is the quintessential Pep Guardiola midfielder, controlling the tempo, offering balance, providing stability and winning the ball back quickly. Club insiders believe Lavia is a remarkably developed player for his age, and he made his first-team debut in September this year, playing 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup.
#2 Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer is seeing more game-time for Manchester City this season and nobody can say he doesn't deserve it. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder scored 19 goals and set up 10 strikes during his time with the club's U23 side. He already has 12 first-team appearances to his name and has scored twice.
Terrific with the ball at his feet and capable of playing down the middle as well as out wide, Palmer continues to benefit from Pep's expert handling of midfielders.
#1 Phil Foden
At 21, Phil Foden is already England and Manchester City's pride and joy. The 'Stockport Iniesta' is a vital part of Pep Guardiola's plans and continues to develop at an astonishing rate.
Known for his clever passing and crafty dribbling, Foden added goalscoring to his arsenal in the 2020-21 season, finding the net 16 times in 50 appearances. He also blossomed into a man for the big occasion, delivering a stunning individual performance against defending champions Liverpool in the previous campaign.
Foden is incredibly versatile and is capable of playing on either flank as well as through the middle. He has 142 appearances for City already under his belt and has started the new campaign brightly, scoring six goals and registering seven assists.
The midfielder is a favorite of Pep Guardiola and is undoubtedly being primed to become the face of Manchester City for the next decade.
