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When the Dutch squad was announced for the World Cup qualifiers, one surprising inclusion was a relatively unknown centre-back, Karim Rekik. Rekik is a well known face in the youth circuit and is rated as one of the most promising players in Manchester City’s squad.
Profile
Karim Rekik has already captained the Feyernoord Youth Team, Man City Reserves and is currently the captain of the U-19 Dutch National Team. The Dutch youngster of Tunisian descent was one of the most highly-rated youngsters to come through from Feyernoord’s illustrious academy.
The Dutch club boasts of a whole host of young talents, who they continually struggle to keep a hold of. Rekik caught Manchester City‘s attention at the U-17 World Championship and continued their pursuit since then. Feyernoord were understandably averse to the idea of selling one of their top talents, but City’s huge financial power eventually won the battle.
The 2011/12 Premier League Champions have been following a policy of signing youngsters ahead of the implementation of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play. The likes of Gai Assulin, Stefan Savic, Denis Suarez, Luca Scapuzzi and Karim Rekik were all signed at relatively the same time by ex-boss Roberto Mancini.
Rekik made 2 appearances for Man City in his first season, both coming in the Carling Cup (now known as the Capital One Cup) as he occupied the left-back position against Birmingham and Wolves; he was only 16 at the time. The youngster was then also on the bench for Man City’s Carling Cup games against Arsenal and Liverpool, while also replicating that achievement against Wigan and Fulham in the Premier League.
Quite a remarkable feat considering he’s just a teenager, and the large list of stars City have on their roster. Towards the end of the 2011/12 campaign, Rekik was loaned out to Championship strugglers, Portsmouth. He made his debut in a 2-0 victory over Hull City, playing the entire 90 minutes and also receiving the first yellow card of his senior career. Rekik finished the season with eight appearances, starting all those games, and playing the entire 90 minutes in seven. He primarily occupied the left-back position during his short stint at Fratton Park as Portsmouth were relegated following a 10 point deduction as they entered administration.
Last season Karim Rekik started off in the U-21 Premier League tournament, even scoring in his first game against Middlesbrough. Mancini named him on the bench against Newcastle, and handed him his Premier League debut a week later against Reading. City were trying to cope up with a busy Boxing Day schedule and Roberto Mancini saw it as the perfect time to hand the youngster a start; he played 84 minutes of that game. As is custom with youngsters towards the end of a campaign, Rekik was spotted by Blackburn Rovers, and they secured a loan move for the player. It was a frustrating time as having made 4 continuous 90 minute appearances, Rekik found himself on the bench for the next 10 games, only making an appearance again 6 weeks after his debut.
After being linked with a whole host of clubs, PSV Eindhoven finally secured a loan move for Rekik this summer. He joins a side bursting with young talent; a Scout’s paradise. The likes of Maher, Wijnaldum, Depay, Locadia, Bakkali and Willems are the core of the young side, while Karim Rekik himself has formed a formidable partnership with Jeffrey Bruma. He has made 8 appearances (starting all those games) so far this campaign, including his debut in the Champions League as PSV lost over two legs to AC Milan.
Despite receiving a call-up to the senior Dutch side, Rekik is yet to make his debut for even the U-21 side. He was part of the U-17 Dutch team that won the European Championship, even scoring against Germany in a 2-0 win along the way. Currently he is a stalwart in the U-19 side, and is gaining a lot of experience as captain.
