#SheikhScouts: Future Foundations
January 15, 2025
Lost in the flurry of City’s ongoing struggle of a season and a wild January transfer window is the status of some of our most promising loanees. To any City fan that has watched the team this season, it has become clearly evident that the squad needs a rebuild. While most of the focus will rightfully be on scouting and buying new players, two in-house options could be considered for full-time, senior roles in the next generation of Guardiola’s City squad. The players in focus? Soon-to-be 22-year-old Maximo Perrone and 21-year-old Callum Doyle, both on loan. Born in 2003, Perrone and Doyle appear to be a sensible fit in age profile, skill, and developmental stage to make an impact at City in the near or distant future. The Argentine and the Englishman have both benefited from multiple loan spells which have helped them develop over the years. Maximo has gone on loan to two top-five leagues while Callum has successfully completed four consecutive loans within the English pyramid, with three in the Championship for promotion-caliber clubs.
While City do not have the best track record for integrating loanees into senior level, a squad rebuild might present the perfect opportunity to change the status quo. Welcome to ”Future Foundations,” the loan & academy segment of Sheikh Scouts, our ongoing player scouting series.
Loan History
For most City fans, Manchester City academy player Callum Doyle won’t be a stranger. The latest loan to Norwich City has seen the left-footed defender thrive once again, with the club relying on Doyle as a focal point in their build-up. Additionally, his resume includes being voted “Young Player of the Season” for Coventry City in 2022-2023, as well as having excelled for promotion campaigns in all three previous loans with Sunderland, Coventry City, and Leicester respectively. Doyle looks to do the same with an ambitious Norwich City this season, currently sitting midtable in the Championship. With a Manchester City contract running until 2027, next season looks to be a great chance for his full integration into the squad.
From homegrown to poached prospect, Maximo Perrone was bought from Argentinian side Velez Sarsfield in January of 2023. Having spent the treble season as a bench player, Perrone spent much of his time familiarizing himself with the lifestyle, expectations, and day to day of a City player and to his credit, put on intriguing cameos in his limited time. Loan moves to Las Palmas in 23-24 and Como in the current season followed, with his time at Las Palmas clearly a learning curve as it was his first consistent minutes in Europe. While in Spain, Perrone learned to focus more on his defensive ability, playing more like a box to box 8. Creating more on the move but not necessarily being the man on the score sheet with assists (think hockey assists). So far this season, he’s developed into more of a complete central midfielder, putting up solid to impressive numbers in his defensive actions, key passes, and winning in his duels. However, due to injury, the emerging talent went into the New Year sidelined with a hematoma in his thigh.
Positional Fit
With City clearly focusing on reducing the age of the squad, having two in-house options could be a blessing in disguise for the board, especially with Doyle counting towards the homegrown rule. With Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne on expiring contracts, combined with John Stones, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, and Ruben Dias having injury-riddled seasons to date, adding youth and depth is paramount to the rebuilding of our squad in the final years of Pep’s tenure. Replacing two of our older and potentially more injury-prone players with two young progressive-minded players would be an excellent and more importantly *free* addition to the rebuild.
Their ability and versatility, two attributes that seem to be a necessity for any players in a Guardiola team, are key. Callum Doyle is equally adept as a left-back and left-center-back, allowing City to potentially utilize a more traditional, shot-stopping keeper in between the posts (as opposed to a ball-playing GK). Theoretically, they would benefit from having a “safety blanket” type player to initiate build-up play. After watching the film and looking at the data, it’s visible that Doyle is a fit in our squad in both positions, playing at fullback next to Gvardiol, Ake, or Dias. Given his size (towering 6”2, well-built with solid lower body strength) and defensive instincts, he could also fill in as a center-back next to a Gvardiol or Ake, having played both for Norwich and the City Football Academy. It was clear from a young age that Doyle has a unique level of understanding when it pertains to his responsibilities as a ball-playing defender, in and out of possession. As a pure defender, the data behind Doyle’s efforts is quite promising, showing a proven ability to make timely tackles, using his aggression and instincts to be in the right place at the right time. Combined with his standout passing ability, keeping him as a rotational defensive option seems a sensible, affordable, and suitable option. One that City fans should expect to grow and improve further under Pep’s tutelage.
Much has been said about our search for a midfielder. Someone who can play in multiple zones, sitting in a pivot, or playing as a box-to-box eight next to a more traditional attacking “10.” A partner for Rodri and/or someone who can also act as his understudy. Enter Maximo Perrone, a prototypical “Spanish Midfielder” meaning that he has a good touch for dictating the tempo of the game with a pass-first mentality. To be clear, he isn’t a destroyer or a duel-winning, ground-eating monster. There are some questions about his physicality but despite his slender frame, his ability to win the ball back and progress the ball are two of the best aspects of his game. Fernandinho wasn’t a particularly large or stock player but his instincts, aggression, and positioning made him a unicorn of a 6 capable of covering the entire backline himself. Notably, Perrone is also capable of playing in small spaces, making quick decisions with the calm composure routinely displayed by many of City’s finest academy products like Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb. The main difference between them? Perrone’s defensive prowess and how he combines it with the ability to beat a press and advance the ball. As many young players do, he has struggled with decision-making and positioning at times and he will need to learn to play at a quicker pace, mentally and physically. Both La Liga and Serie A aren’t exactly known for their breakneck pace but we love the combo of skills that Perrone possesses and believe he could be a fit as a member of our rebuilding midfield engine.
Short Solution vs Long Legacy
The rebuild has begun and although Guardiola has shown a reluctance to use young players in a time of crisis, there appears to be a new, blue wave of youth encroaching upon the Etihad. Rather than going for big money, “proven” players, Txiki, Viana, Pep & Co have seemingly gone with the latter (for now). They are prioritizing getting in young talent who can play now but also be a cornerstone piece of the team for the next possible decade. That doesn’t mean we won’t see older pieces be brought into the team in the future but it does mean that the main goal is to make the squad younger and built for a new cycle. While both Maximo and Callum’s futures are up in the air, there’s plenty to like and City fans should retain hope of seeing their full-time integration into the squad in the next season or so.