Manchester City
Man City would be foolish to commit the blunder they did with Sancho and they should hold onto this 19-year-old prodigy
Why Manchester City must keep hold of Brahim Diaz at all costs
According to Sky Sports, Manchester City face the risk of losing Spanish starlet Brahim Diaz to Real Madrid next summer.
The 19-year-old is currently in the last year of his contract which is set to expire next summer and the Spaniard has so far refused to sign a new deal. In fact, reports claim that Real Madrid are trying their best to convince the youngster to not sign a new deal at the Etihad.
Diaz was signed as a 16-year-old from Malaga back in 2015 and he was given his professional debut in the EFL Cup in 2016 just five days before he signed his first three-year professional contract.
The Spaniard impressed for the Cityzens during the pre-season tour in 2017, scoring a goal in the 4-1 win over Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup.
The highly-rated youngster played the last fifteen minutes of City’s 2-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Community Shield this season and has made a couple of appearances in the Carabao Cup. He has been impressive with his performances in the domestic cup competition and has scored a couple of goals for the Sky Blues.
However, Pep Guardiola hasn’t been able to give him a taste of Premier League action this season, having fielded him on five occasions in the league last term.
And that might be one of the reasons behind the youngster’s reluctance to pen a new deal at his current club.
Manchester City have one of the strongest squads not only in the Premier League but also across the top five European Leagues. As difficult as it is for any youngster to break into City’s star-studded first-team, the manager might be at the receiving end of a lot of stick from the media if he tries to bench one of the regular players to make way for Diaz.
And that proposition is riskier when the team is challenging for the Premier League crown. Quite clearly, neither the manager nor the player is to blame for lack of regular first-team action.
Even though Diaz is currently surplus to City’s first-team requirements, the Cityzens should take note of the fact that he is an immensely talented player. The 19-year-old has the potential of replacing someone like David Silva in the years to come and they should try to convince him to sign a new deal.
Blessed with a wonderful technique, Diaz has shown plenty of improvement in the tactical aspect of his game this season, as evident from his displays in the Carabao Cup. He is not the fastest player on the pitch but he makes up for it with his flawless missile-like passing, remarkable vision and intelligence.
However, the most impressive thing about him is his nimble feet, which when combined with his low centre-of-gravity allows him to keep exceptional close control in tight areas. Furthermore, he is capable of constantly bullying the opposition with his perpetual motion in the final third, which makes it almost impossible for the defenders to mark him.
Manchester City are facing the consequences of letting someone like Jadon Sancho leave in his early years at the club and they should not commit the same blunder again by allowing Brahim Diaz to leave.
That said, they should leave no stone unturned in their efforts to tie him down to a new contract.
Sam Coffey has officially joined Manchester City from Portland Thorns on a contract running through summer 2029. The WSL leaders will reportedly pay the Thorns a transfer fee of $875,000 with potential add-ons according to ESPN, securing one of the NWSL’s top midfielders.
Coffey said in an emotional goodbye video posted by the Thorns that playing in Europe has long been one of her goals. “For as long as I’ve kicked a ball, I’ve always dreamed of playing professional soccer in Europe, and it’s something I simply have to pursue. I would never forgive myself if I didn’t go try,” she said in a video filmed at Providence Park.
Thorns Lose Talisman and 2024 Captain
The move leaves Portland without their talisman and 2024 captain. During a turbulent season in terms of injuries and maternity leaves, Coffey started all but one match and was a stabilizing force in midfield. She was named to the league’s Best XI for the third time in four years.
Manchester City are chasing their first title in a decade and lead England’s Women’s Super League by six points over Chelsea after defeating Everton on the weekend to open the second half of the season. Coffey has never been on a side that finished top of table but was a rookie when the Thorns won the 2022 NWSL Championship.
Investment in Women’s Game Attracts Star
Coffey also gave a nod to Manchester City as a club that has recently increased investment in the women’s team. “I think it’s also a place that just has proven its investment in women’s soccer and being a part of this movement that is going on. Seeing the facilities, the support the team gets and all the efforts they are putting in for the women’s side is such a huge and positive side and something I’m honored to be a part of.”
Also read: Renee Slegers Signs New Arsenal Contract Until 2029 After Champions League Glory
Everton Women host Manchester City on Sunday as the WSL leaders return from the winter break with a six point advantage at the top of the table. Brian Sorensen’s side will be without several key players including Rion Ishikawa due to sickness and Hikaru Kitagawa who is being assessed after feeling her hamstring during training.
Elise Stenevik, Megan Finnigan and Lucy Hope remain unavailable while Katie Robinson has returned to Aston Villa after her loan spell ended, having made 12 appearances for the Toffees. Everton sit 10th in the table, five points above the relegation zone.
Kick-off: 12:00 GMT, Sunday, January 11, 2026
Venue: Joie Stadium, Manchester
TV: TBC
Sorensen Demands Defensive Discipline
The Everton boss knows his side face an uphill task against the league’s highest scorers. “They have a very good team and we have to put a performance in. We have the confidence to know that we can do it if we get it right. But, it is going to be extremely hard. We have to be right in the defensive department. We know how good they are. We need to focus on ourselves and make sure we get our things right.”
Manchester City have been relentless since their opening day defeat to Chelsea in September, establishing a commanding lead at the top. Khadija Shaw tops the scoring charts with support from Vivianne Miedema and Aoba Fujino providing goals throughout the season.
Recent Meetings Favor City
The clubs have already met twice this season with Andrée Jeglertz’s team winning both encounters. City won 3-1 in the League Cup at Joie Stadium in September before edging a competitive 2-1 victory at Goodison Park in November, despite Kelly Gago’s equalizer.
Predicted Lineups:
Everton (4-2-3-1): Ramsey; Vanhaevermaet, Wheeler, Payne, Boje Sørensen; Clare, Hayashi; Thomas, Gago, Bissell; Snoeijs
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Yamashita; Casparij, Rose, Knaak, Ouahabi; Hasegawa, Blindkilde Brown; Fujino, Miedema, Hemp; Shaw
Also read: Julie Blakstad Officially Joins Tottenham From Hammarby as Spurs Strengthen Backline
Vivianne Miedema has revealed she wants to extend her stay at Manchester City beyond this summer with contract talks currently underway. The Netherlands international joined the WSL leaders on a free transfer from Arsenal in summer 2024 and has been instrumental in their charge towards the title.
“Officially, I have a contract until the summer. We’re working hard to extend that. I’m sure it’ll work out. I’m happy at the club and I feel good about the direction the club is going,” Miedema told FCLeeuwinnen and AD.nl.
Thriving Under Andrée Jeglertz
The 29 year old striker has rediscovered her best form at City after injury troubles plagued her final years at Arsenal. She’s formed a lethal partnership with Bunny Shaw in attack, helping Andrée Jeglertz’s side build a six point lead at the top of the WSL table heading into the winter break.
Miedema scored her 100th WSL goal during City’s 6-1 demolition of Aston Villa in December, becoming only the second player to reach that milestone. Her performances have been crucial to City’s 13 match unbeaten run across all competitions since their opening day defeat to Chelsea.
City Keen to Secure Key Asset
Manchester City will be eager to tie down Miedema to a new deal given her importance to their title push. The striker’s contract situation means she could sign a pre contract with clubs outside England from this month if terms aren’t agreed.
City face a challenging run of fixtures when they return from the winter break, starting with West Ham in the League Cup quarter final before resuming their WSL campaign. Securing Miedema’s future would provide a significant boost as they look to end their four year trophy drought and claim their first WSL title since 2021.
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