Enzo Maresca says Ryan McAidoo needs ‘the right path’ at Man City

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca spoke about promising young talent Ryan McAidoo after his performance against Inter

Enzo Maresca says that Ryan McAidoo needs the right path at Manchester City as the club assess whether he is best served stepping up to the first team this season. The 18-year-old winger came on in the second half of City’s first pre-season game against Inter and was one of the standout players, looking sharp and going close to either scoring or assisting a goal on a number of occasions.

City are looking at wide players in the transfer market and could see Savinho move to Spurs in the summer window, but McAidoo took his opportunity under Pep Guardiola last season by scoring on debut and has seriously impressed Maresca in the first few weeks of training. Having done enough to earn his spot on the right wing in the second half against Inter, he then took his opportunity in style.

Maresca said that no decisions have been made on the many youngsters out on tour as they are looked at over the course of the four weeks before pre-season, and the question is whether McAidoo can play his way into the City squad or if he leaves on loan. Several clubs have already expressed an interest in taking him and that list may grow on the back of this latest performance.

Whatever happens, Maresca pointed to his record of giving debuts at Leicester and Chelsea to indicate that the right decision can be made on McAidoo.

“Since day one to be honest with Ryan, we were speaking with the club and since day one he is the kind of winger I love,” he said. “Very aggressive one v one, he always tries, makes the right decisions. But he is very young and he needs the right path.

“At the moment, with most of the young players, the idea was to see them during pre-season and then decide. We started ten days ago and Ryan is working well. We are going to take the right decision. I am always very open with young players. At Leicester, it was a record number of debuts from the academy. And at Chelsea it was also a record number of debuts from the academy.”