Sources: Man City line up Sam Curtis offer after Roma trial
Man City are racing to sign Irish teenage sensation Sam Curtis, sources have told Football Insider.
The defender, 16, is already an established first-team member of League of Ireland side St Patrick’s Athletic and he has been earning rave reviews with his performances.
City scouts have been making regular checks on Curtis, who can play at right-back or centre-back.
Euro big hitters Roma, Bayer Leverkusen and Feyenoord have all previously had him on trial, but City are ready to submit an offer for the rising star as they look to win the race for his signature.
However, City would not be able to formally sign Curtis until he turns 18 in December 2023.
This is due to Brexit rules prohibiting English clubs from signing underage Irish players until they turn 18.
Curtis has made 17 senior appearances for St Patrick’s Athletic after joining from Shamrock Rovers in the summer of 2021.
At Rovers, he became their youngest-ever player as he was aged 14 years and 320 days when he started for Shamrock Rovers II in a First Division clash against Athlone Town in October 2020.
As quoted by the Irish Sun (10 October), St Pats boss Tim Clancy was blown away by Curtis’ composure in a game against Dundalk, admitting, “It’s a fantastic goal but it starts with a 16-year-old showing a lot more wisdom than you think at that age.”
He went on to call the defender’s physical strength “ridiculous”.
Man City currently sit second in the Premier League, behind Arsenal by one point.
Pep Guardiola’s side are next in action against a struggling Liverpool side on Sunday (16 October).
In other news, Kieran Maguire has issued a “shock” claim as a £68million-a-year Man City payout is analysed.