Manchester City sign Tottenham midfielder destined for University of California

Tottenham saw one of their brightest prospects in their Academy system make a move to Manchester City in the summer, despite being destined for the USA at one stage.

It is the latest in a long line of Manchester City recruits for their esteemed Academy system, with the aim being to retain their position at the top of European football for several years to come.

City secured the services of the likes of Ryan McAidoo from Chelsea’s highly-rated conveyor belt of youth talent, whilst there is an intention to secure a deal for New York City’s England youth international Christian McFarlane.

The most recent recruit into the club’s City Football Academy training centre saw a different set of circumstances, with Etihad Stadium talent spotters preventing one player from moving to the United States to pursue higher education.

According to the information of journalist Alan Nixon, Manchester City pulled off a coup during the summer transfer window by signing midfielder Han Willhoft-King from Tottenham Hotspur, stopping him from heading to the United States.

Willhoft-King, who is described within the report as ‘an extremely bright student’, originally planned to go the USA to accept a scholarship at the University of California in the summer, but was presented with a firm counter offer.

It is explained that Manchester City got wind of his departure from the North London club, where he had been training and playing from the age of just six-years-old, and came up with a counter offer that he subsequently accepted to remain within the Premier League.

Manchester City and Tottenham have a healthy working relationship in the youth talent department, whilst communication between the clubs at senior first-team level has been more complex.

City failed in attempts to recruit Harry Kane from the North London giants during the summer transfer window of 2021, with official Daniel Levy standing firm on a £120 million valuation of the England international.

That tough negotiating position from Spurs followed Manchester City’s hugely successful hunt for Kyle Walker in the summer market of 2017, with the defender going on to become one of the most decorated English footballers in the history of the game.