Manchester City insiders believe they have an “exceptional” 17-year-old in their ranks who has the potential to become a first-team player under Pep Guardiola.
Manchester City’s academy has been in great form over the past 12 months, with both the Under-21s and the Under-18s winning trophies last season.
Plenty of top talents have made it to the first-team of late, with the likes of Phil Foden, Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly all in the picture.
Now, one of the best defenders in the EDS could potentially be one of the next youngsters to make the jump from the Under-21s to the first-team.
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Stephen Mfuni #91 of Manchester City plays during the Vertu Trophy match between Oldham Athletic and Manchester City at Boundary Park in Oldham, on August 26, 2025
Photo by Mike Morese/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Manchester City insiders think Stephen Mfuni can make the first-team
The player in question is Stephen Mfuni, who is already playing for the Under-21s at the age of 17.
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According to Simon Bajkowski, Mfuni is seen as a player who has the potential to make the first team under Guardiola.
Indeed, the teenager could see some opportunities in the senior setup as the season goes on, according to the Manchester Evening News journalist.
Mfuni was in great form in Man City’s 5-1 win over Oldham Athletic in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night.
He created the opening goal with a defence-splitting pass which set up Mahamadou Sangare and shone in terms of his defensive duties.
Oboavwoduo also did well for City’s EDS on the day, clocking up some impressive stats.
At just 17 years of age, Mfuni is already a relative veteran at Under-21 level, showing just how far ahead he is when compared to his peers.
Mfuni played for both the U18s and the U21s last season, including in the Premier League 2 playoffs.
However, Mfuni has been making waves in the City academy from an even earlier age, with youth coach Ben Wilkinson singing his praises back in 2023.
“He’s an exceptional talent,” Wilkinson told the City media team in December 2023 after the then 15-year-old Mfuni helped the U18s beat Watford in the FA Youth Cup.
“We think very highly of him. For a player that’s 15 years old, he has great maturity and a real high level of potential.”
More recently, online scout Chazzurri sung Mfuni’s praises after watching him for England’s Under-19s against their Norway counterparts in July this year.
“Stephen Mfuni’s performance against Norway, while a little shy defensively, showed me that he has all it takes to be a unicorn CB at the highest level of football,” Chazzurri wrote on Medium.
“From his dangerous carries to his delightful passes, and all in the middle, he just has so much to like, and is surely a player that exceeds the expectations of a traditional ball-playing defender.”