Pep Guardiola can definitely be credited with bringing by way of some thrilling younger expertise from Manchester Metropolis‘s academy. The Spaniard has definitely relied lots on academy graduates, with the Residents’ youth sides producing among the greatest up-and-coming gamers in world soccer.
In fact, it was Guardiola who gave Cole Palmer his first forays into skilled soccer, though the England worldwide left for Chelsea again in 2023. The perfect homegrown star Guardiola introduced by way of on the Etihad Stadium is Phil Foden, who has made 327 appearances for his boyhood membership.
In newer instances, Nico O’Reilly has damaged into the first-team squad.
Why Pep Guardiola loves O’Reilly at Man Metropolis
There’s a lot to love about 20-year-old Mancunian star Nico O’Reilly. He has shone throughout his brief Metropolis profession to this point, and was even rewarded with a call-up to Thomas Tuchel’s newest England squad, though he didn’t play a sport.
To this point, the teen has made 30 appearances at first-team stage for his boyhood membership. He’s even chipped in with 5 objectives and three assists in that point.
In 2025/26, O’Reilly has began the final 4 Premier League video games.
The teen has left an enormous impression on Guardiola, with the Spanish supervisor explaining he’s “serving to us lots” within the senior aspect, earlier than confirming he’s “taking his alternative” to impress for Metropolis.
It’s simple to know what the long-term Metropolis boss is speaking about when he says these issues. O’Reilly is sort of a Swiss military knife, capable of function in a number of positions.
A quantity 10 by commerce, he’s performed as a left-back most of the time for Metropolis, in addition to in midfield and at the same time as a centre-forward.
The flexibility O’Reilly brings to the desk is essential in Guardiola’s squad. In some ways, his emergence has seen him leapfrog the same profile of participant within the pecking order.
The Man Metropolis star now on borrowed time
Guardiola himself summed it up completely, explaining that O’Reilly has grabbed his probability with each palms.
It’s simple to contemplate him a nigh-on indispensable member of the group these days, along with his England call-up cementing that.
Nonetheless, O’Reilly’s function within the first staff has meant that Rico Lewis’ alternatives have diminished this season. The 20-year-old full-back can also be a graduate of Metropolis’s academy, and has performed plenty of video games since he broke into the aspect again in 2022/23.
In truth, the Bury-born star has reached precisely 100 video games for his boyhood membership, mentioning the milestone in opposition to Burnley final month.
He’s bagged 5 objectives and assisted ten for the Residents to this point, together with a strike within the FA Cup semi-final final season in opposition to Nottingham Forest.
Described as a “severe expertise” by soccer statistician Statman Dave, Lewis can function all around the pitch, identical to O’Reilly. He has predominantly performed at right-back, however has additionally featured on the alternative aspect and all throughout the midfield.
The power to play as a right-back and tuck inside as a midfielder when his aspect has the ball has led Guardiola to explain Lewis as Metropolis’s “little Philipp Lahm.” Nonetheless, since O’Reilly has damaged by way of, he has seen his sport time decreased, possible because of the similarity of the gamers.
When taking a look at a statistical comparability from final season within the Premier League, it’s simple to see why Guardiola would possibly favour O’Reilly.
The Mancunian star does outperform Lewis in a number of key metrics, though the latter did play extra ahead passes, with 11.9 in comparison with 11.
|
Lewis vs O’Reilly |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
Lewis |
O’Reilly |
|
Possibilities created |
0.3 |
0.7 |
|
Ahead passes |
11.9 |
11 |
|
Take-ons accomplished |
0.5 |
1.6 |
|
Duels gained |
3.8 |
4.8 |
|
Ball recoveries |
4.6 |
5.3 |
|
Stats from Squawka |
||
Maybe Lewis is on borrowed time at Metropolis. He has been leapfrogged within the pecking order by a participant the identical age and a vastly comparable profile. It will likely be robust for him to nail down a spot if issues proceed the identical means.
Final summer season, he was a switch goal for numerous Premier League golf equipment, with Nottingham Forest believed to have made a bid.
If his lack of sport time continues this manner, perhaps he’ll discover a transfer away from his boyhood membership.
