‘Sky’s the limit’ - How Reigan Heskey is settling it at Koln following transfer from Man City as ex-England striker dad Emile explains what success looks like for 18-year-old forward

Heskey is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his ex-Leicester, Liverpool and Aston Villa striker father. Emile savoured FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup successes in his playing days, while earning 62 senior caps for England.

Reigan has already starred for the Young Lions at U17 and U18 level, gracing a World Cup tournament in 2025, and is considered to have inherited useful family traits such as pace, power and finishing ability.

Those qualities allowed him to catch the eye in City’s fabled academy system, with a competitive debut being made alongside brother Jaden in a Carabao Cup clash with Huddersfield in September 2025.

With his path to regular first-team football being blocked by seasoned international performers, as a role on the left flank is sought, the decision was taken to spread wings and embrace a fresh start during the summer of 2026.

A transfer package that could be worth as much as £7 million ($9m) was agreed with Koln. Heskey has been eased into the fold by new employers, with just one 15-minute substitute appearance being taken in so far.

He is, however, still finding his feet and remains confident that full potential will be unlocked in time. That is an opinion shared by his father - a man who knows all about learning your trade and making the most of opportunities that present themselves at a young age.

Ex-England star Heskey - who was speaking in association with the Chase football coaching programme that is providing free access to coaching qualifications for people from low-income backgrounds across the UK - told GOAL when asked how Reigan has settled in Germany: “He's loving it at the minute. He's finding it difficult because he's obviously in and out the team. And it's obviously a different language, he's got to learn etc. Different country. But he's enjoying that side of it as well.

“He's only young, so he's in the squad. And he gets to come back, he's with the [England] 19s. So he'll be with some of his mates and stuff like that. So he'll get to enjoy that.

“But soon he's got to start staking the claim for first team football. Once he starts doing that, the sky's the limit for him. Because he's not far off my size. He's got a lot growing to do still.”

Heskey added when asked if minutes in the bank are the obvious marker of success for Reigan during his debut campaign at Koln: “Yeah, game time. I think if he can get between 15 to 20 games under his belt, I think that's a positive one. Maybe between 10 and 15 goal contributions is a positive.”

Heskey, who watched on with interest over the summer as England reached the 2026 World Cup semi-finals, has been at St George’s Park with Chase to discuss how the impact of the Three Lions' run at FIFA's flagship event is inspiring a new generation to consider football coaching as a career.

The Chase football coaching programme is providing an avenue for more people to get into football coaching by offering fully funded access to introductory coaching qualifications and professional coaching bursaries for people from low-income backgrounds across the UK.

Heskey has previously told GOAL of why Reigan left Manchester in order to work with different tacticians that can help to develop his game: “I think at 17, 18, if you're ready to play first-team football and you're not getting that and you inevitably won't get it in England, you've got to go somewhere where there's a proven track record. Germany looks like there's a proven track record.

“Our youth system, as in youth international, we've got some fantastic players. The Germans have seen that time and time again in the players. Why aren't we given the opportunity in England?

“We shouldn't necessarily have to go to Germany, we shouldn't necessarily have to go to Belgium, we shouldn't necessarily have to go to France. That's what's happening. We're buying players in England from France, from Germany, at 20, 21. We've got 20, 21-year-olds who we've been playing against them on a regular basis, international level, and beating them.

“And being seen as that crop with Sancho, Phil Foden, that crop, I think it was Marc Guehi as well, was seen as the best in Europe. But we've not been giving the opportunities. Marc Guehi was at Chelsea, he didn't get a chance at Chelsea, he had to leave.

“But others are all getting a chance in their own respective country. And I get it because in England we've got the biggest league and possibly the best league. But our kids are never going to get the chance.

“My son [Jaden] is 20, 21 soon. At 22 I left for Liverpool after playing five seasons [at Leicester]. So we've got too many kids now who are being, I wouldn't say being held back, but they're missing out on important years of learning at 18, 19, 20 to play in the 21s, which gives you nothing. Apart from the EFL Trophy, which is good. I like that, I like it a lot, but that's two games.”

Reigan Heskey is aiming to prove his worth with Koln, allowing a first-team spot to be nailed down there that eventually allows him to compete for senior international recognition. He certainly boasts the ability to head down that path.

For now, the Three Lions - with German head coach Thomas Tuchel calling the shots - are focused on 2026-27 UEFA Nations League competition. On the back of a crushing 7-0 victory over Croatia in their last outing, a home date with Czechia will be taken in on Tuesday.

For more information about the Chase football coaching programme, visit: Chase football coaching programme https://www.chase.co.uk/gb/en/chase-football-coaching-programme/