Pep Guardiola couldn’t offer academy player Cole Palmer enough playing time. The English striker’s impatience was not compatible with Guardiola’s plan. In his debut season as a Chelsea player, Palmer showed the world and Guardiola what City got away with the sale. Two years later, the 23-year-old is towering with a market value of 120 million euros. Now the next super talent is on his way away from City, but this time Guardiola is doing everything he can not to repeat the mistake with Palmer.
This time it is Rico Lewis who is heavily linked to the exit Etihad. The full-back has played 95 games in the senior team, but will have half his body over at Nottingham Forest this summer. This is often answered with zero playing time, but Guardiola realized he must take the last opportunity to persuade Lewis to stay. In Manchester City’s opening win against Wolverhampton, the 20-year-old got 66 minutes on the pitch, and responded with an assist.
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After the game, Guardiola was asked about the full-back’s future.
“I think he will stay. I think so. He has told me, but that may change tomorrow. I have extra sympathy when we talk about Phil Foden, Rico Lewis or Nico O’Reilly, because they were 16-17 when I came here. I think Rico Lewis is an extraordinary player. Today I think he will stay, but I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Guardiola said, according to the Mirror.
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Then we’ll see if Lewis is convinced.
