Earlier this year it was noted that Manchester City, operating as a distinct entity within the wider group, has turned the sale of homegrown talent into a major revenue stream.
Players such as Morgan Rogers, Douglas Luiz, Cole Palmer, Liam Delap and Oscar Bobb came through City’s system before being sold on, and they’re now featuring for Premier League rivals.
Over just the past five years, City have generated more than £250m from selling young players.
Marwood says striking the right balance between signing for immediate on-field impact and investing in players who might grow into valuable assets is challenging.
He adds that recruiting youngsters is inherently uncertain: some arrive, settle quickly, work hard, show ambition, and go on to have outstanding careers.
He points to Oleksandr Zinchenko, Taty Castellanos and Jack Harrison as examples of players who blossomed.
CFG accepts that talent ID isn’t foolproof. Some prospects hit, others miss—that’s the nature of recruitment.
The rapid rise of Rogers at Aston Villa and Palmer at Chelsea suggests City have, at times, sold earlier than ideal.
Rogers, once of Aston Villa, moved from Manchester City to Middlesbrough in February 2024 for an initial £8m; last month Chelsea paid £117m for him.
Palmer, sold by City for £40m in 2023, would likely command a comparable figure were he to leave Stamford Bridge now.
As Savinho progresses to his next stage, City are already focusing on what comes next.
There’s significant optimism around 18-year-old Ryan McAidoo, who has already made his senior debut.
CFG is also closely tracking 16-year-old attacker Shin Miidera at partner club Yokohama F. Marinos.
American midfielder Cavan Sullivan, 16, is currently at the Philadelphia Union and will join Manchester City upon turning 18.
Vitor Reiss, who spent last season on loan at Girona from City, is highly rated to make the step up.
In a perfect world, Marwood says, you’d keep players from start to finish—but that’s rarely how it works.
The ongoing challenge is producing the next breakthrough: with Savinho moving on, attention turns to who’s coming through in three or four years’ time.
Building a strong hub of young talent, creating clear pathways, and leveraging the group’s club network are central to that plan.
Ultimately, their progress will be measured both in results on the pitch and on the balance sheet.