Nico O’Reilly is not a Manchester City left-back insists Pep Guardiola despite meteoric rise | OneFootball

Ppe Guardiola has once again reinforced the fact that rising youngster Nico O’Reilly is not a left-back, despite his staggering rise within the role in recent weeks and months.

The 20-year-old midfielder by trade has been arguably the leading breakthrough talent during the ongoing season despite various young names emerging into the first-team set-up at various stages of an injury-hit campaign.

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was handed a string of appearances at senior level for Manchester City earlier in the season due to an influx of fitness problems in central defence, before investment during the January market moved the youngster back into Academy football.

There has also been an appearance for Kaden Braithwaite in a Carabao Cup clash last year, while a number of the club’s brightest teenage stars have been training with Pep Guardiola’s first-team set-up for large chunks of the season.

But no player has had more success under Pep Guardiola having been promoted from the academy system than Nico O’Reilly, who was tipped for a first-team rise during the pre-season campaign preceding the ongoing season.

Throughout Manchester City’s warm-up matches in the United States and into the opening weeks of the competitive season, O’Reilly was seen as a potential defensive midfield solution, although his breakthrough and strongest showings have come at left-back.

Speaking to the media after Manchester City’s crucial 0-2 victory over Everton on Saturday afternoon, manager Pep Guardiola was keen to insist upon the fact that Nico O’Reilly is not a left-back despite his performances in the role.

“It looks like in this team if you play at left-back, you score goals. Josko (Gvardiol) before, now him,” Guardiola joked. “So, really good! We are so grateful because he is not a left-back.”

The Manchester City manager continued by touching upon the love for the 20-year-old from the club’s supporters, “Our fans love Nico because they love Academy players – and he’s another player that can help us.”

Ilkay Gundogan joined his head coach in piling on the praise for the young Academy graduate as he told reporters from Goodison Park, “He’s a very humble and shy guy, doesn’t talk much – which, for me, is something good when you’re young, trying to observe and learn and see what other players are doing. And this is exactly what he has been doing.”

The former Germany international also said, “He’s been crucial the last few weeks. He’s not playing in his natural position but doing amazing. He’s strong, winning duals, technically – for his height and physical conditions – amazing on the ball.

“He has energy to get the right timing in the box and score crucial goals or making assists. He’s done amazing the last few weeks and that’s why the manager gives him the trust and the trust he deserves to play at the highest standard.”

Manchester City continue to be linked with a number of full-back solutions during the upcoming summer transfer window, and particularly on the left side of defence which may raise questions over Nico O’Reilly’s longer-term future.

The Premier League side are believed to be most interested in the versatility of Juventus and Italy international Andrea Cambiaso, while Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie has admirers from within the Etihad Stadium despite the North London club’s insistence on not selling.