Following on from what looks set to be an unsuccessful and trophy-less campaign, there’s no denying that there needs be plenty of freshening up in the summer, irrespective of whether Manuel Pellegrini is in charge or not.
And though there is a plethora of possible outside additions who would undoubtedly improve the side; it may be worthwhile looking at personnel already in the club’s possession.
Two of the club’s brightest prospects – Jason Denayer and Marcos Lopes, have impressed in their respective loan spells and should be considered for the first-team squad next season.
Here I take a look at how the two youngsters have been getting on, what they bring to the table and why they should be a part of first-team plans.
Loan moves have a tendency to bring the best out of a player and move him onto an upwards spiral towards the first team and that is exactly what seems to be happening with Jason Denayer, who has been nothing short of a revelation at Celtic.
Having seen Denayer on a regular basis for the EDS side, it’s abundantly clear that the 19-year old is no ordinary footballer. In his debut season in the EDS setup, he formed a productive partnership with now NYCFC loanee Shay Facey, with his assured and controlled defensive displays helping the team as they reached the U21 Premier League play-offs, made the quarter-finals of the UEFA Youth League and got to the U21 Premier Cup final. Denayer well and truly reaped the rewards of Patrick Vieira’s appointment as EDS.
But as always, performances at youth/reserve level do not always give an entirely accurate reflection of a player’s potential. It is of course a good test for youngsters against opposition of their age and ability, yet it is worth very little when it comes to first-team proceedings. Take Denis Suarez for example, he excelled at EDS level yet never got his all-important loan move. After signing for Barcelona B last summer, he now holds a key role for high-flying Sevilla in La Liga, who are currently 5th in Spain’s top tier. It’s fair to say that City didn’t handle Suarez adequately.
However that all seems mightily different with Denayer, who at Celtic, has a perfect loan move. While the Scottish top flight is not the best in terms of competitiveness, it presents an interesting challenge with arguably the nation’s biggest club. Moreover, the Hoops European exploits have also served as a major test for the Belgian. At present, Denayer has clocked up 30 appearances for the Glasgow side, including starts against Inter Milan in the most recent round of the Europa League. In addition to this, he has also notched up 4 goals from set pieces, which City fans will undoubtedly be pleased to here. Denayer has looked perfectly at home alongside Virgil van Dijk in defence and Celtic fans have been raving about the young prodigy.
A very neat compliation of Denayer and his partnership with van Dijk:
Such praise has been echoed by Celtic boss Ronny Deila, who has not been afraid to share his admiration of Denayer’s qualities. He is desperate to retain Denayer for another season, but the player himself has his eyes set on a return to City, despite rumoured interest from Ajax. His call-ups to the Belgium national side speaks volumes of the progress he has made this season and City would have to come up with quite a mishap to misuse such a prospect. With an ageing Martin Demichelis unlikely to sign a contract renewal and Dedyrck Boyata of little use, it makes sense to recall Denayer and give him a shot in the first team. He may not be a fixed name on the teamsheet to begin with, yet he has all the attributes required to fit in at City in some capacity.
Much like Denayer, Marcos Lopes has enjoyed a fruitful loan spell with Lille, despite some reoccurring niggling injuries. Yet whenever Lopes has been available, there has been a considerable improvement in the way Lille play.
4 – Marcos Lopes has been involved in four of Lille’s last five goals in Ligue 1 (two goals, two assists). Ignition.
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) March 8, 2015
Ever since he arrived from Benfica, Lopes was destined for big things. He had a swagger about him, oozing class. His early days at the club were relatively quiet, but ‘Rony’ would soon explode onto the scene, having been a surprise selection aged just 16 for the club’s pre-season tour prior to the 2012/13 campaign. Lopes featured regularly and it was refreshing to see a youngster in the ranks, especially after the previous neglection of young talent.
Perhaps fans overly expectant, with Lopes not part of first-team duties until midway into the season. But when that chance did arrive, Lopes grabbed it without hesitation. During a routine win over Watford in the FA Cup, the Portugese man was handed his debut and cemented his place in City’s history, scoring the third and final goal in a 3-0 victory. At the time, Lopes had turned 17 nine days earlier, which meant he became the club’s youngster ever goalscorer in a competitive fixture. A fine achievement for a player with a big future ahead. He played the majority of his football that season in the EDS side, with his high-quality performances culminating in the club’s Academy Player of the Year award for the season.
It was in fact though the 2013/14 season which would serve as the major breakthrough period in Lopes’ career. This campaign was revolutionary for many reasons, and that applied to Lopes who excelled under the tutelage of Patrick Vieira, who took over from Atillio Lombardo at EDS level. Vieira immediately recognised the talents of his young prodigy, handing him the captaincy and making him the focal point of the side. ‘Rony’ was granted the freedom he so desperately craved, playing a starring role in a prosperous season for the EDS. Though the team did not taste any success, they reached a cup final, put in a series of wonderful performances on the way to the UEFA Youth League quarter finals and made the U21 Premier League play-offs. Lopes was fundamental in all those aforementioned achievements. In 29 appearances, he notched up 13 goals – including an exceptional hat-trick as Vieira’s man dismantled Bayern Munich in the Youth League.
Lopes started the Capital One Cup win over Wigan earlier in the season, with the crossbar preventing him from grabbing another professional goal. Then further into the season, the same competition brought another opportunity for Lopes. In the semi-final second leg against West Ham at Upton Park, Lopes registered two assists and delivered a man-of-the-match display in a comfortable 3-0 win, quite rightly earning him a senior medal when the Blues went all the way at Wembley.
This season, he has had his fair share of injuries yet since the turn of the year has dazzled for Lille. There is an apparent correlation between Lopes’ availability and Lille’s most impressive displays. Recently, he produced a stunning display to sink then league leaders Lyon, coming up with an assist and a smartly taken finish for the winning goal. He followed that up this weekend with another assist for Nolan Roux’s solitary goal to defeat Guingamp. Lille boss Rene Girard is a great believer in Lopes’ qualities, immediately likening him to James Rodriguez upon his arrival in France. Boasting incredible vision, a lower centre of gravity, delightful dribbling ability and an intelligence on the pitch, that comparison is no surprise. Should he steer away from injuries and continue this rosy run of form, there is no reason why he should not return to Manchester in the summer. Adept on the flanks and even more exciting as a no.10, City have a real gem in Lopes and must weave him into the first-team sooner rather than later.
To finish off, watch this wonderful compilation of Lopes in action: (Made by Sid Chaurasiya)
