Manchester City have a young player whose training top no longer reads EDS (Elite Development Squad), which could suggest that he is a first-team player now.
Pep Guardiola has a track record of giving youngsters chances at City, with one example being Nico O’Reilly — who started in the Manchester Derby as a makeshift left-back to replace the injured Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Phil Foden excelled against Manchester United and ever since Guardiola made him a first-team player as a teenager, the Englishman has gone on to become one of his boyhood club’s best players.
Divine Mukasa now seems like he has earned the City boss’ trust, as he came off the bench in the Sky Blues’ 3-0 win against Palermo in August.
The 18-year-old was training with the first-team following his side’s latest victory and it seems like he is considered a part of the senior side now.
Divine Mukasa appears to be a Man City first-team player now
As Manchester City’s official website released images from the first-team’s training session on Monday, Mukasa’s training top did not have EDS written above his shirt number, 63.
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The same applies to Stephen Mfuni whereas EDS was written above Jaden Heskey’s number 81 on his training top, as the trio posed for a photo after winning a small-sided game alongside Rico Lewis, James Trafford, Oscar Bobb and Nico Gonzalez.
Mukasa compared himself to Kevin De Bruyne in terms of his style of play and if he has indeed been added to the first-team, Manchester City fans will be excited as the attacking midfielder is a similarly exciting player to the Belgian.
Divine Mukasa in action between England and Czechia U18's side
Photo by Octavio Passos – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Last season, the teenager registered 17 goals and 25 assists in all competitions, which highlights how special a talent he is.
Furthermore, Pep Guardiola named Mukasa and Mfuni in Manchester City’s squad to face Manchester United, which could suggest that he may count on them down the line this season.
Bayern Munich’s chances of signing Divine Mukasa
With Rayan Cherki sidelined with a thigh injury, the former West Ham United wonderkid has a chance to play a few minutes for the senior side.
The youngster impressed upon coming on as a late substitute against Palermo as he assisted Tijjani Reijnders’ second goal.
In April, Fabrizio Romano revealed that Bayern Munich and Ajax had sent scouts to sign Mukasa from Manchester City.
🚨 Bayern and Ajax have sent scouts again this month to follow Manchester City 17 year old talent Divine Mukasa.
Manchester City are planning to extend his contract to keep Mukasa at the club. pic.twitter.com/fkisN5cx4M
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 8, 2025
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However, City had no intention of letting him go as they plan to extend the highly-rated attacker’s contract.
Perhaps Manchester City’s plan all along was to integrate Mukasa into the first-team this season.