" Cardiff 'wonder kid' sold to Manchester City '

16-year-old wonderkid Rabbi Matondo finally cleared to play for Manchester City after being signed from Cardiff City for £500,000.

Rabbi Matondo has been seen as the best youngster to come through Cardiff's youth system since Aaron Ramsey, and he joins an already enviable list of elite young talent at the City Football Academy.



By City watch

Manchester City News

Sunday 12th March 2017

Manchester City have finally been cleared to play Wales under-17 international Rabbi Matondo, signed recently from Cardiff City for an initial fee of £500,000.







The 16-year-old was supposed to join earlier in the season, but The Sun reports that he has only just been cleared to play for City’s youth team.

Matondo was viewed by some at Cardiff as the best youngster to come through their youth system since Aaron Ramsey, and he joins an already enviable list of elite young talent at the City Football Academy.

Like Ryan Giggs, Matondo originally represented England at under-15 level before switching his allegiance to Wales, who he now represents at under-17 level.

City fended off interest from Chelsea to sign Ratondo, winning a battle between the two best academies in the country to land the teenage attacker.

Despite having arguably the best academy set-up in the country now, City continue to add new players to the ranks, and the recent signing of 13-year-old Finley Burns from Southend for a record fee again showed just how serious and aggressive City have become about recruiting the best young talent available.

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I knew that Man City nicked him from us months ago but don't think there was mention of a fee at the time. £500k not much though if he turns out to be as good as they expect. It says an "initial fee" so let's hope there's a good sell on clause.

This deal appears to be caused by the fa ruling on category 1 and 2 academies which allows cat 1 clubs to poach players from cat 2 clubs for tiny payments. Another great example of the fa allowing the rich to get richer.

Transfer fees for 16 year olds is just about OK, but dealing for 13 year olds ( as mentioned above) just doesn't seem right somehow.

Unless we get back to the Premiership, there is zero chance in us bringing any good youngsters through. They will just get poached with the biggest, richest clubs sweetening up the parents by offering them a new house, new car etc and everything the kid and family needs will be taken care of by Man City. No doubt, several agents competed against each other to snap up the lad as well.

Unless we get back to the Premiership, there is zero chance in us bringing any good youngsters through. They will just get poached with the biggest, richest clubs sweetening up the parents by offering them a new house, new car etc and everything the kid and family needs will be taken care of by Man City. No doubt, several agents competed against each other to snap up the lad as well.

Even in the prem, if Man City and Chelsea want this kid they would get him.

I dont think we can blame the FA here. If we choose to provide Cat 2 facilities you can hardly hold the kid back because he wants to play at an Elite level.

The best we can hope for is a good sell on clause - and possibly getting him back on loan.

Unless we get back to the Premiership, there is zero chance in us bringing any good youngsters through. They will just get poached with the biggest, richest clubs sweetening up the parents by offering them a new house, new car etc and everything the kid and family needs will be taken care of by Man City. No doubt, several agents competed against each other to snap up the lad as well.

Even in the prem, if Man City and Chelsea want this kid they would get him.

It won't be half as easy though. All we will need to say is he can stay with us in the Premiership and continue playing first team football to aid his development instead of being a small fish in a big pond playing development football in the reserves. We will also have the finances in the Premiership to keep him and his family happy and tie him up to a long term contract, installing clauses like his wage will rise to X amount when he makes 20 first team appearances etc. At the very least, if we do lose future stars like this, I would like to think we would receive a hefty fee anyway. You don't see Southampton having any of their young stars poached anyway.

Unless we get back to the Premiership, there is zero chance in us bringing any good youngsters through. They will just get poached with the biggest, richest clubs sweetening up the parents by offering them a new house, new car etc and everything the kid and family needs will be taken care of by Man City. No doubt, several agents competed against each other to snap up the lad as well.

Even in the prem, if Man City and Chelsea want this kid they would get him.

It won't be half as easy though. All we will need to say is he can stay with us in the Premiership and continue playing first team football to aid his development instead of being a small fish in a big pond playing development football in the reserves. We will also have the finances in the Premiership to keep him and his family happy and tie him up to a long term contract, installing clauses like his wage will rise to X amount when he makes 20 first team appearances etc. At the very least, if we do lose future stars like this, I would like to think we would receive a hefty fee anyway. You don't see Southampton having any of their young stars poached anyway.

Young starry eyed kids are going to jump at the chance of a crack with one of the big glamorous clubs. Afraid a small club in S Wales will never compete with the giants, unfortunately that's the way it has been for a very long time. Youngsters don't think about whether or not they are going to get regular first team football, they just see themselves as the next mega star, and that is understandable at those sort of ages. Very hard for unfashionable clubs to hold on to these sort of players.

Probably his parents were overawed and were given promises. Can't help thinking here's another young lad who will stagnate through their system and eventually end up at Accrington Stanley.

When was the last time a young lad made Man City first team squad. Good luck to him thousands been like him in the past and I've forgotten all their names.

Probably his parents were overawed and were given promises. Can't help thinking here's another young lad who will stagnate through their system and eventually end up at Accrington Stanley.

When was the last time a young lad made Man City first team squad. Good luck to him thousands been like him in the past and I've forgotten all their names.

Only got look at Chelsea? Some 30 odd players out on loan waiting to get a chance one day!!!

Seen him play, better than Ramsey and will go for £30+ million one day. Best player out of Wales for many many years

Seen him play, better than Ramsey and will go for £30+ million one day. Best player out of Wales for many many years

Go where for 30m? If that good will stay at man c.

Seen him play, better than Ramsey and will go for £30+ million one day. Best player out of Wales for many many years

Go where for 30m? If that good will stay at man c.

Spain

Seen him play, better than Ramsey and will go for £30+ million one day. Best player out of Wales for many many years

Go where for 30m? If that good will stay at man c.

Spain

Not sure he would want go there but guess time will tell.

i knew he had gone months ago and thought for no money so quite pleased we have had something out of it.

probably a percentage of any sale within the agreement too. Swansea had 250k {10%} when E Huws moved to wigan from Man City.

Seen him play, better than Ramsey and will go for £30+ million one day. Best player out of Wales for many many years

Better than Ramsey and will go for £30 million!!!

That's a big statement to make based on seeing him play for the academy under 16 team, and he is nowhere near playing a first team game

I knew that Man City nicked him from us months ago but don't think there was mention of a fee at the time. £500k not much though if he turns out to be as good as they expect. It says an "initial fee" so let's hope there's a good sell on clause.

Reading the Sun on Sunday yesterday, it mentioned £500K with alot of Add Ons, hope they got this one right

Another kid who's made the wrong decision on his footballing future. Going to spent the next 7-10 years going out on constant loans until City eventually decide he's too old to put into their team.

The top clubs snap these kids up, then do nothing with them. Absolute waste.

He and his family were glad to move back to the north west where they are from. Moved to Cardiff from Liverpool a few years back now

Unless we get back to the Premiership, there is zero chance in us bringing any good youngsters through. They will just get poached with the biggest, richest clubs sweetening up the parents by offering them a new house, new car etc and everything the kid and family needs will be taken care of by Man City. No doubt, several agents competed against each other to snap up the lad as well.

Even in the prem, if Man City and Chelsea want this kid they would get him.

It won't be half as easy though. All we will need to say is he can stay with us in the Premiership and continue playing first team football to aid his development instead of being a small fish in a big pond playing development football in the reserves. We will also have the finances in the Premiership to keep him and his family happy and tie him up to a long term contract, installing clauses like his wage will rise to X amount when he makes 20 first team appearances etc. At the very least, if we do lose future stars like this, I would like to think we would receive a hefty fee anyway. You don't see Southampton having any of their young stars poached anyway.

Theo Wallcott?

Unless we get back to the Premiership, there is zero chance in us bringing any good youngsters through. They will just get poached with the biggest, richest clubs sweetening up the parents by offering them a new house, new car etc and everything the kid and family needs will be taken care of by Man City. No doubt, several agents competed against each other to snap up the lad as well.

Even in the prem, if Man City and Chelsea want this kid they would get him.

It won't be half as easy though. All we will need to say is he can stay with us in the Premiership and continue playing first team football to aid his development instead of being a small fish in a big pond playing development football in the reserves. We will also have the finances in the Premiership to keep him and his family happy and tie him up to a long term contract, installing clauses like his wage will rise to X amount when he makes 20 first team appearances etc. At the very least, if we do lose future stars like this, I would like to think we would receive a hefty fee anyway. You don't see Southampton having any of their young stars poached anyway.

Theo Wallcott?

Oxlade-Chamberlain?
Callum Chambers?
Adam Lallana

http://www.annisabraham.co.uk/2017/03/1 ... ffs-hands/