The 17-year-old wonderkid who Pep Guardiola has been chasing for SEVEN years: Brahim Diaz, the future of Manchester City
Youngster scored a beauty against Real Madrid in their pre-season win
Sponsored by
A STUNNING strike against Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup in the United States last week has got those who witnessed it talking about Brahim Diaz.
The 17-year-old Manchester City prospect has been tipped for a bright future in the game and looks ready to take the next step in his development.
But to the wider footballing audience Diaz is still a relative unknown. Our friends at Football Whispers profile the Spanish teenager.
Who is Brahim Diaz and where does he come from?
Born in Malaga, Diaz was starring for the youth ranks of regional side Tiro Pichon when his local La Liga side snapped him up aged seven.
Widely regarded as one of the future stars of Spanish football for some time, his current boss, Pep Guardiola, tried to entice him into joining Barcelona from Malaga when he was 10, giving the youngster a tour of the training facilities in Catalonia accompanied by none other than Lionel Messi.
Malaga stood firm, however, and managed to hang on to their budding playmaker for a few more years.
But when Diaz was 14, the lure of Europe’s elite clubs proved too much to resist. Barcelona were again trying to sign him, as were heated rivals Real Madrid.
most read in football
It was City, however, who won the race for his signature.
One of the key factors behind Diaz’s choice to opt for Manchester over the more familiar climes of Barcelona and Madrid was the influence of then-City boss Manuel Pellegrini.
The Chilean tactician knew just how good Diaz was from his time in charge of Malaga and used his powers of persuasion to full effect, convincing the teenager that his future lay in England with the Premier League side, rather than in La Liga.
The move cost City an initial £300,000, which could rise to as much as £2.4million if future performance-related bonuses are triggered.
FIFA rules prevented Diaz from making a competitive appearance for City before his 16th birthday, but he has since become one of the stars of the club’s academy sides, shining alongside the likes of Arsenal transfer target Jadon Sancho and midfield prodigy Phil Foden.
Diaz starred for La Roja in their run to the final of last season’s Under-17 European Championship, scoring three goals in the tournament – including one in the final – although he was unable to prevent Spain’s eventual penalty shootout loss to Portugal.
A senior debut came in September of last season, with Diaz coming off the bench for the last 10 minutes of City’s League Cup victory over Swansea City. He penned professional terms with the Citizens five days after making his first-team bow.
His inclusion as part of City’s squad for the International Champions Cup is evidence of how highly he is rated inside the Etihad.
And Diaz’s goal against Madrid, which saw him stride forward from midfield before confidently picking out the corner of the European champions’ net from distance, gave the world a glimpse of his enormous potential.
What is his most likely destination?
Spanish side Girona are believed to be interested in taking Diaz on loan for the new season, but the youngster’s performances on City’s pre-season tour of the US might just have convinced Guardiola to make him a more regular feature of the first-team squad.
How much will he cost?
As things stand, with his status as one of the hottest teenage prospects in European football, it is unlikely that City would consider selling Diaz at almost any cost. They will be well aware that, with a few more impressive performances in 2017/18, his value, and importance to the side, could skyrocket.