Man City close in on 18-year-old Troyes wonderkid after rolling out red carpet for teenager

According to Foot Mercato, Detourbet has been identified as a “shooting star” of the French game. City’s pursuit has reportedly gone beyond preliminary monitoring, with the youngster having already visited the club’s facilities, an indication of the seriousness of the Etihad hierarchy’s intent. 

A product of Troyes’ academy, he progressed through the youth and reserve sides before being handed opportunities at the senior level. This season, he has featured 14 times for the first team, starting just once, yet even in limited minutes, he has managed to register a goal and two assists. While those raw numbers may not leap off the page, scouts have been drawn to qualities that statistics struggle to capture. His instinctive movement in the final third, close control under pressure and eye for goal have convinced several clubs that he possesses the tools to thrive at the highest level. Roma tested Troyes’ resolve last summer with a €10 million bid, which was swiftly rejected, and Italian interest has not cooled since.

City’s interest carries a notable edge. Troyes are part of the City Football Group network, the multi-club model that has already proven effective in developing young talent across Europe. That connection does not guarantee a smooth transfer, but it does offer City a clearer pathway to understanding Detourbet’s progression and long-term potential. The CFG model has delivered tangible results in the past. Savinho’s rise is a case in point, with the Brazilian winger moving through Girona before completing a permanent switch to Manchester City in 2024. Detourbet, currently valued at around €4 million, could follow a similarly structured route if City decide that patience, rather than immediacy, best serves his development. City are not alone in their admiration. Monaco have entered discussions in an attempt to steal a march on their rivals, while Roma remain keen after failing to prise the teenager away last year. Several other Italian clubs are also monitoring the situation closely, aware that Detourbet’s value is likely to rise if his trajectory continues.

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While City’s recruitment team looks to the future, Pep Guardiola remains focused on maintaining momentum on the pitch. January proved unusually busy for the champions last season, with reinforcements brought in to arrest a dip in form, a departure from the club’s usual preference for summer business. That experience has sharpened the sense that planning ahead is essential, even when results are flowing. City underlined their current strength with a controlled 2-0 victory over Brentford in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, a result that booked a semi-final showdown with holders Newcastle. Rayan Cherki and Savinho found the net, but Guardiola’s post-match assessment was typically exacting.

 He told reporters afterwards: "I'm really pleased for the impact from the guys who came from the bench, because in the second-half Rayan Cherki didn't do the job he should defensively - he had no energy, Savinho neither. That's why the impact from Josko [Gvardiol], Matheus [Nunes], especially Bernardo [Silva] helped a lot to increase rhythm! I didn't want to play Nico Gonzalez, Nico O'Reilly 90 minutes again - they've played a lot and we have Saturday; a massively important game against West Ham. Same like Phil - I didn't want him to play the minutes he played but the injury from Oscar happened. But everyone that came from the bench was really, really good!"

City now sit second in the Premier League, two points behind Arsenal, and carry a six-game winning streak across all competitions into the busy festive period. Guardiola has granted his squad a brief pause to recover before attention turns to a crucial home clash with West Ham, followed by trips to Nottingham Forest and Sunderland, and a heavyweight meeting with Chelsea.