Manchester City Could Lose Another Academy Starlet to Borussia Dortmund

Just a year after signing a four-year contract extension with Manchester City, academy hotshot Jayden Braaf looks set to leave the club.

The 18-year-old, who was acquired from PSV Eindhoven two seasons ago, has been one of the outstanding talents at the City academy.

The young Dutchman has caught the eye with scintillating performances thereby raising expectations of a bright future at the Etihad Stadium.

But there has been a breakdown in communication between the player and the club as it relates to expectations from the former.

The youngster wants first-team football or at least regular training with the first team, something the club cannot provide at the moment. Having emerged as the Under-23 Players’ Player of the Year in July, Braaf’s ability has drawn comparisons to former City youngster Jadon Sancho.

His situation at City has alerted clubs in Germany and back home in the Netherlands. But he is expected to follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduate Jadon Sancho. As reported by Bild, Borussia Dortmund could repeat the feat accomplished by persuading Sancho to trade the City academy for the Signal Iduna Park.

The report suggests that the player is bent on leaving and so City will have to sell. The club is expected to demand up to €10 million for the youngster, and also insist on a buyback clause as part of the deal.

Sancho has been a revelation since joining the German side. That has opened the door to playing regularly in the Bundesliga, Champions League and even the national team. The 20-year-old was the subject of a transfer tug-of-war between Dortmund and Manchester United last summer.

The Signal Iduna Park has become an unveiling ground for the next generation of superstars with the likes of Sancho and Erling Haaland turning heads around Europe. It is understandable then that other youngsters now desire to follow that route.

Braaf, was involved as City lifted the FA Youth Cup for the first time in over a decade. The youngster is now in a hurry to step up to greater heights having become aware that the likes of Sancho and Brahim Diaz left aged 17 and 20 respectively and were given the opportunity elsewhere to play in the first team despite being so young.

In fact, Dortmund have become trailblazers in that regard. Recently, 16-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko made history as the youngest player to feature in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League while wearing the club’s colours.