Manchester City Academy 2025-26

Manchester City Academy 2025–26 season showcasing progress along the EPPP development pathway for youth players.

Based in the North West, Manchester City FC runs a category 1 academy

  • Academy Director: Thomas Kruecken
  • U19 Head Coach: Ben Wilkinson

Manchester City Scholars 2025/26

  1. Finlay Gorman (Midfielder)
  2. Finley Grigg (goalkeeper)
  3. Dante Headley (Defender)
  4. Charlie Holt (Midfielder)
  5. Teddie Lamb (Midfielder)
  6. Milo Martin (Defender)
  7. Yohan Obin (Defender)
  8. Floyd Samba (Midfielder)
  9. Sam Wadsworth (Midfielder)
  10. Jacob Wain (Midfielder)
  11. Timeo Whisker (Forward)
  12. Ben Vickery (Goalkeeper)

Manchester City Academy Players On Loan 2025/26

Youth players on loan.

  1. Divin Mubama (Forward) Stoke City
  2. Finlay Burns (Defender) Reading FC
  3. Oliver Whatmuff (Goalkeeper) Rochdale AFC
  4. Joel Ndala (Forward) Hull City; Sheffield Wednesday
  5. Max Alleyne (Defender) Watford
  6. Sverre Nypan (Midfielder) Middlesbrough
  7. Lakyle Samuel (Defender) Bromley
  8. Mahamadou Susoho (Midfielder) Livingston
  9. Luca Fletcher (Forward) Ipswich Town U21
  10. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (Defender) FC Köln
  11. Emilio Lawrence (Forward) Luton Town
  12. William Dickson (Forward) Chesterfield
  13. Jaden Heskey (Midfielder) Sheffield Wednesday
  14. Stephen Mfuni (Defender) Watford

Manchester City Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

  1. Divine Mukasa (Midfielder) #63

Manchester City Academy International Players 2025/26

  1. Theodore Carrington (Defender) England U16
  2. Prince Otabor Osifo (Defender) England U16
  3. David Eze (Midfielder) England U16
  4. Xavier Tau Parker (Midfielder) England U16
  5. Reigan Heskey (Forward) England U17
  6. Ben Vickery (Goalkeeper) England U17
  7. Marlow Barrett (Defender) England U17
  8. Archie Thornton (Defender) England U17
  9. Floyd Samba (Midfielder) England U17
  10. Kaden Braithwaite (Defender) England U17; U18
  11. Dante Headley (Defender) England U17; U18
  12. Finlay Gorman (Midfielder) England U18
  13. Harrison Miles (Midfielder) England U17; U18
  14. Ryan McAidoo (Forward) England U18
  15. Max Hudson (Goalkeeper) Wales U19
  16. Caelan Cadamarteri (Forward) Scotland U17; U19
  17. Stephen Mfuni (Defender) England U19
  18. Kian Noble (Defender) England U19
  19. Divine Mukasa (Midfielder) England U19
  20. Christian McFarlane (Defender) England U19
  21. Lakyle Samuel (Defender) England U20
  22. Joel Ndala (Midfielder) England U20
  23. Justin Oke Oboavwoduo (Midfielder) England U20
  24. Max Alleyne (Defender) England U21
  25. Rico Lewis (Defender) England U21
  26. Nico O’Reilly (Midfielder) England U21; First Team
  27. Divin Mubama (Forward) England U21
  28. Emilio Lawrence (Forward) Scotland U21
  29. Michael Okeke (Midfielder) Hungary U21

Academy Competitions

U18 Premier League

The league divides teams into North and South groups for the U18s, calling it the U18 Premier League.

Manchester City Under-18 play in the North League

Below are the team standings at the winter break, marking roughly the halfway point of the season.

U18 Premier League North

U18 Premier League North

Manchester City U18 are the North Winners and will play Chelsea to determine the National champion.

U17 and U18 Premier League Cup

In 2017, the Premier League introduced the U18 Premier League Cup and the U16 Premier League Cup, renaming the latter to the U17 Premier League Cup in 2020 for their respective age groups.

The seven group winners, along with the best runner-up determined by total points, goal difference, and then head-to-head record, will progress to the quarterfinals.

U17 Premier League Cup Group Stage

Manchester City U17 are drawn in Group C against under 17 teams from Aston Villa, Everton and Liverpool.

  1. Manchester City U17 lost at home against Everton U17 (1 – 2)
  2. Manchester City U17 lost away against Aston Villa U17 (4 – 2)
  3. Manchester City U17 won at home against Liverpool U17 (6 – 0)

U18 Premier League Cup Group Stage

Manchester City U18 are drawn in Group D against under 18 teams from Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Sheffield United.

  1. Manchester City U18 drew away against Crystal Palace U18 (3 – 3)
    • Teddie Lamb (2)
    • Christian Dunbar-McDonald
  2. Manchester City U18 won at home against Chelsea U18 (3 – 2)
    • Teddie Lamb
    • Floyd Samba
    • Tyrone Samba
  3. Manchester City U18 won at home against Sheffield United U18 (4 – 1)

FA Youth Cup

Third Round Proper

Manchester City U18 have been drawn at home against Fulham U18

  1. Manchester City U18 won at home against Fulham U18 (3 – 1)
    • Dunbar-McDonald
    • Ryan McAidoo
    • Teddie Lamb

Fourth Round Proper

Manchester City U18 have been drawn at home against Arsenal U18

  1. Manchester City U18 won at home against Arsenal U18 (5 – 2)
    •  Kaden Braithwaite
    • Tyrone Samba (2)
    • Christian Dunbar-McDonald
    • Xavier Parker

Fifth Round Proper

Manchester City U18 have been drawn away against Chelsea U18

U19 UEFA Youth League

As the leading club competition for academy-age footballers worldwide, it serves as a prestigious and vital platform where players can build their reputations and rise to prominence.

When eligible, the Under-19s compete in the UEFA Youth League, which mirrors the UEFA Champions’ League group stage.

UEFA will be introducing a new format from the 2024-25 season.

U19 UEFA Youth League Group Stage

Manchester City U19 are drawn against under 19 teams from Napoli, Monaco, Villareal, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid.

  1. Manchester City U19 won away against Monaco U19 (3 – 5)
    • Mahamadou Sangaré (3)
    • Melvin Gomes (OG)
    • Ryan McAidoo
  2. Manchester City U19 won at home against Napoli U19 (2 – 0)
    • Floyd Samba
    • Reigan Heskey
  3. Manchester City U19 lost away against Villareal U19 (2 – 1)
    • Divine Mukasa
  4. Manchester City U19 lost at home against Borussia Dortmund U19 (0 – 3)
  5. Manchester City U19 won at home against Bayer Leverkusen (6 – 0)
    • Reigan Heskey
    • Divine Mukasa (3)
    • Christian McFarlane
    • Floyd Samba

Round of 32

City U19 have been drawn away against HJK Helsinki

  1. Manchester City U19 lost away against HJK Helsinki (3 – 3) (5 – 4 after Pens)

Premier League 2

Starting from the 2023 season, all Category 1 teams compete in a single league using the Swiss-style format.

There are a total of 29 clubs competing in the 2025/26 season.

Entry into or removal from this league depends on meeting the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) accreditation criteria.

Below are the team standings at the winter break, marking roughly the halfway point of the season.

PL2 Top Half
PL2 Bottom Half

Premier League 2 Player of the Month

October 2025

  1. Mahamadou Sangare (Nominee)
  2. Seb Naylor (Nominee)

March 2026

  1. Justin Oboavwoduo (Nominee)

Premier League International Cup

The participating teams are split into four groups of eight, each comprising four UK-based Under-21 teams and four invited overseas clubs represented by their development squads.

Each UK team will host all four overseas clubs in their group. The results will determine the standings in each group, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout stages.

U21 Premier League International Cup Group Stage

Manchester City U21 will face Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, PSV Eindhoven and Monaco in Group A of the initial phase of the tournament.

Everton, Wolves and Southampton are the other UK-based teams in their group.

  1. Manchester City U21 drew at home against PSV Eindhoven U21 (2 – 2)
    • Emilio Lawrence
    • Regan Heskey
  2. Manchester City U21 drew at home against Real Madrid Castilla (1 – 1)
    •  Emilio Lawrence

Vertu Trophy (EFL Trophy)

The Vertu Trophy is a midweek knockout competition that includes clubs from EFL League One and League Two, along with 16 invited teams from Premier League and EFL Championship clubs that have Category One Academies.

The competition is regionalised from the opening stage through to the quarter-finals, featuring eight groups in the northern section and eight in the southern section.

Each group features one Under-21 Premier League side

Vertu Cup Group Stage

Manchester City Under-21s have been drawn into Northern Group E, where they will face Bolton Wanderers, Oldham Athletic and Rotherham.

  1. Manchester City U21 won away against Oldham Athletic (1 – 5)
    • Mahamadou Sangaré (2)
    • Justin Oboavwoduo
    • Ashton Muir (2)
  2. Manchester City U21 lost away against Bolton Wanderers (3 – 0)
  3. Manchester City U21 lost away against Rotherham (4 – 2)
    • Mahamadou Sangaré
    • Charlie Gray

Manchester City Academy News

2nd July 2025

Under-17 talent Dante Headley has committed to a long-term contract with Manchester City.

10th July 2025

Mahamadou Sangaré has completed his move to Manchester City, signing his contract after departing PSG.

17th July 2025

City’s Elite Development Squad is set to compete in the Premier League International Cup for the first time since the 2015/16 season.

4th September 2025

Hungarian youth international Michael Okeke has joined Puskás Akadémia, signing a three-year deal with last season’s league runners-up.

The 19-year-old makes the move after spending nine years at Manchester City’s academy.

12th September 2025

Rico Lewis has extended his contract at City until 2030.

21st October 2025

Defenders Dante Headley and Kaden Braithwaite have been named in the England U17 squad for the 2025 World Cup in Qatar.

They are joined by midfielders Harrison Miles and Ryan Mcaidoo, along with forward Reigan Heskey.

24th October 2025

Manchester City Academy midfielder David Eze and Xavier Parker have earned a call-up to the England Under-16 squad for the upcoming Football Federations Cup in Antalya, Türkiye.

7th November 2025

Manchester City academy players Charlie Gray and Joel Ndala have received a call-up to the England U20 squad ahead of their upcoming match against Japan at Doncaster Rovers next Friday.

19th November 2025

Manchester City U18s will host Fulham U18 in the FA Youth Cup third round proper on Friday, December 5th, with kick-off at 7.00 pm.

12th December 2025

Manchester City Under-19s have completed the UEFA Youth League group stage with a 10th place finish, securing a place in the last 32.

Here is the draw procedure for the group of 32.

City Under-19 have been drawn to face HJK Helsinki away in the Round of 32, with the tie provisionally scheduled for 3–4 February 2026.

16th January 2026

Will Dickson has completed a permanent move to Chesterfield following the end of his loan spell from Manchester City.

The forward departs City having agreed a contract that will run until the summer of 2027.

18th January 2026

Defender Jadel Katongo has joined Kayserispor following his departure from Manchester City.

The 21-year-old, who previously spent time on loan at Peterborough, has agreed to a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Turkish side.

29th January 2026

Manchester City defender Seb Naylor has completed a permanent move to Bristol City for an undisclosed fee.

The 20-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Championship side.

4th February 2026

Manchester City’s Under-19s have been eliminated from the UEFA Youth League after a 3–3 draw and a 5–4 defeat on penalties against HJK Helsinki.

The Blues were edged out in the Finnish capital despite mounting three comebacks to take the tie to a shootout.