Man City quietly line up another youth signing to continue effective transfer strategy

When the verdicts come in on how successful Manchester City's transfer window has been, the headline names will be Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, and Kalvin Phillips. Marc Cucurella will be added to that list if he signs while Stefan Ortega could also prove an essential addition.

Not much will be made of Emilio Lawrence, a 16-year-old City are closing in on signing from Everton that would join the academy for pre-season and the new campaign. Nor should it; the expectations are high enough on these teenagers without being thrust even further into the spotlight.

However, while Lawrence is left along to settle the very fact that they have signed him is significant to their wider transfer policy that has become more prevalent in recent years and - as this summer has shown - is producing more and more results. Just as the first team are not standing still, neither are the academy.

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A consequence of the decision for the United Kingdom to leave the EU in 2016 meant that from last year Premier League clubs would no longer be allowed to sign 16-year-old talents from the continent. Where City were once able to sign the likes of Brahim Diaz, Angelino and Eric Garcia from Spanish academies, now they have to find potential from closer to home.

There is plenty coming up from the City academy; Rico Lewis, James McAtee, and Cole Palmer are all with Pep Guardiola in the United States hoping to be the next Phil Foden cementing their place in the first team. But equally, the presence there of Liam Delap, Luke Mbete, Josh Wilson-Esbrand, Finley Burns and Ben Knight shows the other invaluable part of their youth strategy: UK recruitment.

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