- Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola stepped in this summer to keep a teenage star
- Several EFL clubs had pursued the 19-year-old prodigy for a temporary move
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Pep Guardiola intervened in the summer to ensure young midfielder Jacob Wright remained at Manchester City.
The 19-year-old had strong interest from clubs in the EFL with the opportunity to further his development away from the Premier League champions, but was told to remain at the Etihad Stadium for the entire season.
Wright featured in last month’s Carabao Cup win over Watford and is spending his weeks training with Guardiola’s squad and then for the Under 21s.
“There was obviously a temptation – there always will be – but if the manager and the staff around him want you to stay and stay in that first team, there’s not much of a choice,” Wright said.
“There’s no temptation anymore when you get the information that they want you to stay and be there because they see you as someone who could be there. The temptation disappeared as soon as I heard that: I stayed for a season.’
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola personally intervened to keep Jacob Wright at the club
A number of teams in the EFL inquired about Wright’s services over the summer period
Wright played twice for Manchester City’s senior team last season, including in the Champions League
The central midfielder, who came through City’s youth academy, is highly rated after making his senior debut last season.
Wright scored twice in the recent UEFA Youth League victory against Slovan Bratislava and is leaning on first-team stars for advice.
“There are a lot that have been good to me,” Wright added. ‘Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake and Rodri were good when he was fit – we had conversations – but the ones I’ve spoken to quite a bit lately would be [Mateo] Kovacic and Bernardo [Silva].
‘Their way of thinking means they know exactly what the manager wants. They helped me a lot, just like that [Ilkay] Gundogan.
‘Pep always provides information and instructions. There is always room for improvement, small details that make a huge difference at that level. I try to absorb as much information as possible.’
In addition to his impressive goal tally in the UEFA Youth League, Wright has been in good form for City in Premier League 2.
The 19-year-old has two goals and four assists to his name from five Premier League 2 appearances.
One of his assists came in a 3–1 win over Manchester United’s Under 21 side on 21 September.
Wright (second from right) is in good form for Manchester City’s Under 21 team
He has two goals and four assists to his name from five Premier League Two appearances
Wright made two appearances for City’s senior team last season, enjoying a 15-minute cameo in a 5-0 win over Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup third round.
The teenage wonder saw two minutes of Champions League action when he came on for City against Copenhagen.
He was named in the England under-20 squad for the international break but withdrew due to injury on Saturday.