Manchester City have a fine reputation for youth development – but not every youngster has made the grade at the club.
Back in 2015, City were about to enter their final season of the pre-Guardiola era and had just signed Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne.
The club also let plenty of players go, including four youth prospects who headed for pastures new. Here’s where they ended up.
Adam Drury
Drury played in City’s under-21 development squad under the guidance of Patrick Vieira before joining Bristol Rovers in 2015.
But the defender left Rovers after a single week, citing personal reasons, and has spent the rest of his career in non-league with Gainsborough Trinity and Grimsby Borough.
Dominic Oduro
Oduro has enjoyed an eclectic career since leaving City 10 years ago, playing football in Denmark, Sweden and Belgium before moving to the United States.
The defender never reached MLS level, playing for three different sides in the USL Championship. He is currently 30 and unattached.
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Greg Leigh
Leigh was included in City’s squad for the 2014–15 pre-season friendly tour and appeared in several friendly matches.
But the defender never played in a competitive match for City and left for Bradford City upon his release in 2015.
He has played for Bury, NAC Breda, Aberdeen, Morecambe and Ipswich Town before joining Oxford United in 2023.
Now aged 30, Leigh has made 32 appearances for Oxford this season as they look to avoid relegation in their first season back in the Championship.
Joe Nuttall
A local lad from Bury, Nuttall spent a couple of years in City’s youth set-up but left in 2015 for Aberdeen.
A proper lower-league centre-forward, the 28-year-old is currently leading the line for National League club Altrincham after previous stints with Blackburn, Blackpool, Northampton, Scunthorpe and Oldham.
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