Hugo Viana sees homegrown option for Man City transfer problem at Aston Villa

Not to be for Manchester City's youngsters then, falling short in the FA Youth Cup Final to miss the chance to be back-to-back winners. The academy may still take some silver satisfaction in the Under-18s and Under-21s league, but it will be at least two years before they can put themselves in this position again.

Txiki Begiristain will have been sad not to sign off with that in his final year as sporting director, while for Hugo Viana it is another fresh start. Both men were at Villa Park on Bank Holiday Monday to see a 3-1 defeat that had started so brightly with Matty Warhurst scoring in the opening minutes.

As disappointing as this defeat is, it is obviously not the biggest prize in academy football. Sporting directors will take more stock in league performance and even more value in the production line for first team football - at City or elsewhere.

Nico O'Reilly has been one of the biggest success stories at the club this season after his astonishing breakthrough in the last month. Despite the defeat on Monday, there was enough food for thought for Viana as he looks ahead to one of his biggest problem areas this summer.

Ederson is again being linked with an exit, having been persuaded not to go to Saudi Arabia at the 11th hour last summer by Pep Guardiola. The manager did not sound certain on the player when asked about the keeper's future recently.

Then there's Stefan Ortega, who is also out of contract next summer and has reported interest from clubs in the Bundesliga keen on making him their No.1. Completing an awkward set, Scott Carson will be 40 by the beginning of next season and has only played one game for City.

It doesn't seem likely that all three would go, yet City's plans are complicated if they