The kids are more than alright! Manchester City's academy is THRIVING as Southampton visit the Etihad having spent £40m on four City academy starlets with their youth set-up aiming to be the 'No 1 academy worldwide', according to director Jason Wilcox

When cutting the ribbon on Manchester City’s new training complex in 2014, Khaldoon Al Mubarak made it abundantly clear that the academy needed work.

‘Today is not about celebrating the finish of something,’ the City chairman said. ‘The ultimate goal was not to build the City Football Academy - it was to make that vision for youth development a reality. The cornerstone of the future is a vision for youth development and sustainability.’

At that point, the last player to make an impact in the club’s first team was Daniel Sturridge. His debut had come seven years prior, and the striker quickly moved on to Chelsea.