Manchester City's academy has continued its upwards trajectory over the last 12 months. The Under-23s won their league again, the Under-18s won their league again, there are more players than ever ready for Pep Guardiola to use in the first team and the club have raised £30m in sales to other clubs of youngsters who want to seek a fresh challenge elsewhere.
A problem with success in football is that others notice it and try to work out how they can achieve it. While some of that comes down to ideas, often it comes down to personnel.
City lost both their Under-18 and Under-23 coaches last summer - one to Guardiola's first-team staff and one to Parma, although he has now joined Guardiola - and this year Southampton came calling for their head of academy recruitment Joe Shields. It is no coincidence that the Saints have signed two City youngsters and tried to land a third in the same window that Shields has moved.
