Chief already has eyes on 2029 season

CITY'S new academy director is not just thinking about the present after beginning work at the City Football Academy. He's already challenging the club to find the player of the future'.

- JOE BRAY

Thomas Kruecken has finally joined the Blues from Stuttgart after being chosen in the summer to replace Jason Wilcox, who left the CFA to become sporting director at Southampton.

After settling into his new job, Kruecken has outlined his top priorities as Wilcox's successor, looking ahead as far as 2029, and as broadly as City's under-11 cohort.

In essence, he is looking to future-proof the club's lucrative academy, which is making millions nine years after opening across the road from the Etihad.

City have made more than £200m in academy sales in recent years, and have seen plenty of local youngsters progress to the first team including Phil Foden, Rico Lewis, Cole Palmer and most recently Micah Hamilton.