Man City boss highlights record debut numbers for academy players at both Leicester & Chelsea
Enzo Maresca has paid tribute to the impact of Manchester City’s academy players in his first game as manager, while offering an update on the futures of the youngsters who have travelled with the club on their east Asia pre-season tour.
The 46-year-old spoke to the media after City’s penalty shootout defeat to Inter Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday – a result that mattered far less than the information Maresca was able to gather across 90 minutes of pre-season football against top-level European opposition.
Several of City’s most talked-about academy talents featured prominently throughout the friendly, with the pre-season touring squad composed heavily of younger players in the absence of those from the four nations given extended rest following the FIFA World Cup .
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Maresca was asked directly about Ryan McAidoo and the broader group of young players who have been part of the tour, with the new manager providing a measured but encouraging assessment of what he has seen in the first 10 days of his time at the Etihad Stadium.
His comments drew on the track record he established at both Leicester City and Chelsea of giving academy players meaningful opportunities, framing his approach to youth development as a core part of how he operates rather than a peripheral consideration in the context of a summer transfer window.
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Speaking after the final whistle in Hong Kong, Maresca addressed the futures of the young players who have impressed in the opening weeks of pre-season.
“At the moment, with most of the young players, the idea was to see them during pre-season and then decide,” said Maresca, in conversation with official club media .
“We started 10 days ago and Ryan (McAidoo) is working well. We are going to take the right decision. I am always very open with young players. At Leicester, it was a record number of debuts from the academy and at Chelsea it was also record number of debuts from the academy.”
On the feeling of watching academy players represent Manchester City in his first game as manager, the Italian added: “It’s amazing, it’s an amazing feeling. They are from the academy. They are from the home. So it’s nice for them.
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“And also because they represent a little bit the fans and everyone. I was happy also with their performances so good. We struggled a bit more first half but we knew the reason why. In the second half we were much better.
“In this moment, I think it’s important the physical condition. In two weeks, we are already in an important game so it’s good that they get better and better and better.”
What does Maresca’s verdict tell us about Man City’s pre-season approach?
The specific mention of Ryan by name – referring to McAidoo – underlines the level of attention Maresca is paying to individual academy players during a pre-season in which he has been working with a smaller, younger group than the full squad he will eventually have at his disposal.
His reference to the record academy debut numbers at Leicester and Chelsea is a deliberate signpost – reassuring young players within the squad that their exposure to the first team this summer is not merely logistical in nature, but reflects a genuine commitment to giving them the opportunity to earn their place within his plans.
The acknowledgement that City are “already in an important game in two weeks” – a reference to the Community Shield against Arsenal – underlines that while Maresca is managing pre-season carefully, the clock is already ticking on the need for the full group to come together and hit competitive form.
For director of football Hugo Viana and the club’s hierarchy, the tone Maresca has set in his very first post-match media appearance – warm toward the academy, honest about the work still to be done, focused on the process rather than a pre-season result – reflects precisely the kind of manager they appointed to lead Manchester City into the next era of its history.
Enzo MarescaMan CityInterMarescaItalianLeicesterChelseaManchester City’sAsiaCity’sInter MilanHong Kong
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