Manchester City have double-crossed Liverpool in their summer pursuit of one of Gareth Southgate’s stars

Manchester City have double-crossed Liverpool in their summer pursuit of one of Gareth Southgate’s stars

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola

Manchester City have registered their interest in one of England’s summer stars.

 

Pep Guardiola’s side won the Premier League for a fourth successive season but are keen to bolster their options as they continue their hunt for more silverware. Rumours around the future of Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson have been summer talking points but also their options regarding recruitment.

 

Matthew Holt

 

 

Manchester City have announced their new coaching structure for their academy in 2024/25, with Elite Development Squad head coach Brian Barry-Murphy leaving the club.

 

Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (L) attends a training session at Manchester City’s training ground in north-west England on February 12, 2024, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League Group round of 16 football match against FC Copenhagen. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Brian Barry-Murphy often assisted Pep Guardiola in training to help with the integration of young players to the first team.

Manchester City announced today that Ben Wilkinson will step up to become the new Elite Development Squad head coach, replacing the outgoing Brian Barry-Murphy.

 

After three years at the City Football Academy, Barry-Murphy won back-to-back Premier League 2 titles in his first two seasons, bringing through a long list of players ready for first team football. He coached the likes of Liam Delap, James McAtee, Oscar Bobb, Carlos Borges and Shea Charles, with a number of his players now regulars in the Championship or above.

 

However, a controversial format change to the PL2 last year ended City’s streak of titles, and the young EDS squad finished 23rd in the 26-team league, winning four games all season. Explaining his decision to leave City, Barry-Murphy says he has taken the academy as far as he can.

 

“I have some news people. I have made the decision to leave my position as Head Coach of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad,” he wrote on Instagram. “I take great pride in what we have achieved during my tenure and have enjoyed an amazing three years working with some of the world’s best coaches and players – I will always be thankful for the opportunity to work at such a great club.

 

“However, I feel I have taken the role as far as possible and feel ready for a new challenge. Looking forward to the next chapter. See you there.”

 

Barry-Murphy arrived at City having previously managed Rochdale – then of League One – and a return to senior management could be on the cards. He had told the Manchester Evening News last summer of how the new PL2 system had given him a new challenge, with positives and negatives attached, and his squad were hit by injuries and regular call-ups to the first team.

 

He enjoyed success in the UEFA Youth League but saw the under-19 squad knocked out in the last two seasons in the knockout stages in hostile atmospheres in Croatia and Germany.

 

With Wilkinson promoted to EDS head coach, it is expected that former Hertha Berlin coach Oliver Reiss will be appointed as the new under-18 coach, reuniting with academy chief Thomas Krucken.