Man City goalkeeper completes transfer as players resume pre-season training

Manchester City revealed changes to their academy coaching setup this week, and their squads are beginning to take shape ahead of the new season.

Manchester City’s under-18 goalkeeper True Grant, who won the FA Youth Cup last season, has completed his first loan spell away from the club ahead of the new season.

Grant, the son of former Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, and Manchester United goalkeeper Lee, played for both the under-21s and under-18s last season, spending his time evenly between the age groups. He was City’s goalkeeper during the club’s historic Youth Cup victory, maintaining four clean sheets and conceding only two goals.

The 18-year-old was on Pep Guardiola’s bench for last season’s Champions League victory against Red Star, and he was in the senior traveling squad for the final two games of the season, when City won the Premier League and advanced to the FA Cup final, while Ederson was out injured. Captain Kyle Walker invited him to join the first squad as they collected the Premier League trophy following their final-day victory over West Ham United.

He is now set to make his senior debut, joining Buxton in the National League North for the coming season. With the Bucks being a part-time club, he could still train with City during the week before representing his loan side in their games.

Grant’s loan comes as Ederson’s future remains a source of heated speculation. Ederson has been linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, and his number two Stefan Ortega signed a new deal during the summer, so while the goalkeeping department remains unchanged from last season, Ederson will be watched closely during pre-season due to his potential departure.

Guardiola’s roster for the tour of the United States is expected to be bolstered by a number of young players, since the majority of his first-teamers have been involved in international events, with four due to play in the Euro 2024 final and Julian Alvarez competing in the Copa America final this weekend.

This week, City announced that U18 head coach Ben Wilkinson has been promoted to become the new Elite Development Squad coach, while Brian Barry-Murphy has left the club for a ‘new challenge’. Oliver Reiss, former Hertha Berlin junior coach, is slated to take command of the under-18s.