Matondo insists leaving Man City to join Schalke was the right call

Rabbi Matondo remains convinced that he made the right call in following Jadon Sancho’s lead and leaving Manchester City for Germany.

At 18 years of age, a product of the Blues’ academy system has joined another within the Bundesliga ranks.

Schalke have snapped up the promising winger in an £10 million ($13m) deal.

Matondo admits that he had other options to consider, including sticking with City, but believes a move will better aid his development as first-team opportunities will be easier to come by.

He told The Sun: "A big factor about moving away was trying to break into the Wales team more regularly. With more first-team football at my club, then I’m in a better position to be in the Wales senior team.

"That was probably the main reason why I wanted to be around the first team. When Schalke came in with that, I could not turn it down.

"There were other teams interested and Schalke were interested and I loved what they said to me and what they had planned for me. The message was that I would be a regular first-team player.

"They would look to push me more than I was at City — and that is no disrespect to City, they are a top club.

"So I don’t really expect to start every week at a club like that who are Premier League champions."

Matondo added on his thinking behind leaving City: “It was an offer I couldn’t turn down.

"In footballing terms I wasn’t a regular around the first team.

"I trained with the first team and it was a good experience training with Pep [Guardiola] and the other players. They are top players.

"It is not City’s fault, they have a wonderful team with wonderful players. But if you want to break in at City it is not going to be easy.

"If I had stayed there, then I would have tried my best to break through.

"But I had other options and I thought it was the best time for me and my footballing ability to progress somewhere else."

Getty Images

Matondo joins the likes of Sancho, Reiss Nelson and Reece Oxford in having taken the decision to try his luck in German football – be that on loan or as part of permanent transfers.

He believes more will tread that path in the future, with the current crop of young British talent more prepared to spread its wings than generations before them.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if more players came over as they are offering more opportunities for young players to play regular football," said Matondo.

"If they are not playing regularly they are around the first team.

"It could grow, with German players coming through a lot more with the competition. You might see players getting pushed more in the Premier League to keep them from going abroad.

"It could change around Europe with how players are coming through."