From Fabrizio Romano: Manchester City ‘front runners’ to sign West Ham starlet

Manchester City and the City Football Academy are set to win the race to sign West Ham starlet Xavier Parker this summer.

The City Football Academy are continuing to strengthen this summer following a major managerial shake-up within the CFA ahead of the new 2024/25 season, with a trio of new appointments across the road from the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City have recently announced the arrival of Oliver Reiss as the new Under-18s manager, as well as promoting Ben Wilkinson to the role of head coach of the Elite Development Squad, and the return of former defenders Richard Dunne and Kolo Toure.

Dunne and Toure will both take up coaching roles within the youth set-up, meanwhile Reiss has left Hertha BSC after 17 years to become manager of the Sky Blues’ highly-rated Under-18 side.

Manchester City’s Under-18s won the prestigious FA Youth Cup for the fourth time in May, beating Leeds United 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium, courtesy of four second-half goals from Justin Oboavwoduo, Jaden Heskey, Stephen Mfuni and Matty Warhurst.

The Under-18 side also reached the Premier League Cup Final during the last campaign, but suffered a 2-1 defeat to local rivals Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village, with Manchester City having won the U18s Premier League Cup twice in the past six years.

The Blues have already added 15-year-old Timeo Whisker to the youth set-up from Cardiff City this summer, and recently agreed a record-breaking deal to sign MLS starlet Cavan Sullivan from Philadelphia Union.

Manchester City are poised to make a further academy addition, with the Sky Blues set to win the race to sign the teenager Xavier Parker, fending off interest from a number of top-flight English clubs.

Academy executives at the Etihad Stadium are ‘confident’ of completing a deal for the West Ham starlet according to Fabrizio Romano, with Manchester City described as “front runners” in the race for the teen’s signature.

Parker made his debut for West Ham’s Under-18s earlier this year, but looks set to depart the east London club in favour of a move to east Manchester.