The Man City 'B team' developing the next generation

Liam Delap is nan latest Manchester City academy merchandise to make a sanction for himself aft starring pinch a Premier League double for Ipswich Town connected Sunday.

The 21-year-old forward's fantabulous finishing helped Kieran McKenna's broadside unafraid a 2-2 tie against in-form Aston Villa, continuing his affirmative commencement astatine Portman Road since joining from City successful a woody which could beryllium worthy up to £20m.

Delap is nan latest young talent to radiance astatine nan elite level aft progressing done City's Elite Development Squad (EDS) - a strategy antecedently led pinch a flourish of invention by existent Chelsea leader Enzo Maresca.

The EDS was established to create a span betwixt nan club's academy and first team, successful caller years helping England internationals Phil Foden - nan reigning Premier League subordinate of nan play - and Euro 2024 last goalscorer Cole Palmer break into Pep Guardiola's squad.

Designed to either hole top-class talent for City's main squad aliases to unafraid immense profit, trading EDS and non-first squad players has brought successful much than £500m to nan nine since Guardiola's 2016 arrival.

That is important because, erstwhile clubs waste academy graduates, nan full magnitude is recorded arsenic 'pure profit' successful their accounts, helping to meet nan apical flight's strict profit and sustainability rules.

Former Manchester City younker coach Brian Barry-Murphy, who replaced Maresca arsenic City's EDS head successful 2021, told Sky Sports that City now "view it arsenic a B team".

"Previously they had been seen it arsenic an academy team. Enzo separated that – he put it beyond nan academy and earlier nan first team, wherever they were almost successful transition," Barry-Murphy said.

England Under-21 world Delap, nan boy of erstwhile Stoke midfielder Rory Delap, made 2 appearances for Manchester City successful nan Premier League and spent past play connected indebtedness pinch Hull successful nan Championship, scoring 8 goals successful 32 games.

With 3 goals successful six Premier League starts this term, he is not nan only erstwhile City younker subordinate to denote himself already this season.

Morgan Rogers, who scored against Ipswich connected Sunday, has emerged arsenic a regular starter for Aston Villa pursuing a move from Middlesbrough successful February, while Jamie Gittens, 20, scored doubly successful nan Champions League for Borussia Dortmund earlier this month.

Both spent clip successful nan City system, polishing their game.

Palmer continues to prima for Chelsea pursuing his £42.5m move successful 2023, becoming nan first subordinate to people 4 first-half goals successful a Premier League crippled connected Saturday.

That is City's biggest 'B team' waste to date, followed by nan £25.8m Borussia Dortmund paid for Yan Couto, while Kelechi Iheanacho, Romeo Lavia, Brahim Diaz, Angelino, Jadon Sancho and Delap person each besides gone for large money.

Players pinch connections to City's EDS tin beryllium recovered crossed Europe's apical leagues, pinch Diaz astatine Real Madrid and Jeremie Frimpong astatine Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.

Before fracturing a bony successful his limb successful August, Oscar Bobb, 21, impressed for Guardiola's broadside during pre-season and looks group to beryllium different star.

Analysis by BBC Sport's main shot news newsman Simon Stone

Manchester City return pridefulness successful nan truth they person raised successful excess of £500m from subordinate income successful nan past 3 seasons.

It underlines nan measurement Pep Guardiola has accrued nan worth of his squad by being successful, but it besides shows City recruited good successful nan first spot – and that doesn't conscionable mean successful nan first team.

Romeo Lavia was 16 erstwhile he near Anderlecht for City. Jadon Sancho was 14 erstwhile he moved northbound from Watford.

Cole Palmer was a puerility Manchester United instrumentality but ended up successful City's academy. Liam Delap was astatine Derby erstwhile City spotted him arsenic a teenager.

They were each exceptionally talented. The chances were they were not each going to play regularly for City.

But by being coached well, guided decently and fixed nan correct education, they could each get to a constituent wherever they could flourish spectacularly elsewhere.

It's people 1 younker development. It is besides a very useful gross watercourse for 1 of nan fewer clubs who do not request to accent astir gathering nan Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.