Manchester City centre-back Luke Mbete has joined Huddersfield on loan for the season after the Blues added Manuel Akanji to bolster their defensive ranks on deadline day.
Mbete, 18, has been a familiar face in City training over the last year, and played in the two pre-season friendlies in the United States, plus the charity match at Barcelona last week, where he impressed in the back line. A regular for the under-23 side, Mbete has made three competitive first-team appearances for City, recording one assist.
Now, he will get his first taste of regular senior action as he heads across the Pennines to Huddersfield on loan to join a number of City academy teammates in the Championship.
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Mbete will take the number three shirt at the John Smith's Stadium, hoping to help the Terriers climb the Championship table after a poor start that has seen them take just four points from six games to leave them 23rd in the table.
Huddersfield Head Coach Danny Schofield said: “Luke is a very exciting player who will add real balance and qualities to our First Team squad.
“As you would expect from someone who has had their football education at Manchester City, he is very comfortable in possession. He’s also blessed with genuine athletic qualities – he’s very fast across the ground – and he adds another left-sided option, which are very difficult to come by at this level.
“He will have to adapt to the challenges that the Sky Bet Championship throws up, for sure, but he certainly seems to have the appetite for that challenge. We’re really looking forward to working with him.”
Terriers' Head of Football Operations Leigh Bromby added: “There was a lot of interest in securing Luke’s services from several Championship clubs, so we’re delighted that Manchester City have shown confidence that we are the right destination to continue his development.
“Luke has already made an impression on Manchester City’s First Team as a teenager, which is an incredible show of faith in his potential to play at the highest level. He will arrive here on the back of a good pre-season and having been involved in two of City’s first four games of the new campaign, so he’ll be ready to make his mark with us.
“We’ve got a fantastic track record of working with some of the country’s top young talent and we’re delighted to continue this with Luke.”
Mbete joins Liam Delap (Stoke), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Burnley), James McAtee, Tommy Doyle (both Sheffield United), Callum Doyle (Coventry) and Lewis Fiorini (Blackpool) on loan in the Championship from City's academy.
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