My dad played for England but I'm on a different path - I want to make it at Man City

Manchester City's under-21 Player of the Season has international sport in his blood - but he's determined to take his own path at the Etihad.

Growing up, Max Alleyne was surrounded by elite sport. It's little surprise, then, that he's leading the way in the Manchester City academy with ambitions of becoming the next graduate to break into Pep Guardiola's plans.

He's already flirted with the first team, earning a call-up in the Champions League in 2023/24 and almost making his debut at Red Star Belgrade that December night in Serbia. But a late comeback from the hosts meant Alleyne couldn't be rewarded with a first senior appearance, even if Guardiola praised him afterwards.

"At the end I wanted to put Max on as a central defender because he has a special quality with the ball," Guardiola said that night. "But the game was not quite under control but it's a big compliment for all the academy for many years."

A week later, the Bristolian was on the plane to Saudi Arabia and was on the bench in the FIFA Club World Cup as City became World Champions.

'We trust a lot in him'

A year on, in November 2024, Guardiola fumed at England for overusing Alleyne at under-20 level despite City claiming he was not fit enough to play.

"They pushed Max’s limits and he came back injured," Guardiola said as his long-running feud with the FA took a surprising twist. "If one player goes to the national team not in a perfect condition and trains with the Under 21s in the morning and in the afternoon with the Under 20s, and then plays two games when not fully fit, it's normal that he is injured. We are going to lose him for three weeks to one month again."

Alleyne is a regular face in first team training and was earmarked last season as one of the most promising talents within the academy to watch out for. He won the 2023 under-18 Player of the Year and this year he was named U21 Player of the Year at the annual academy awards, with Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain in attendance.

The 19-year-old has been on the first team bench four times this season, including at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, so he remains on the fringes of a senior place.

When discussing his limited defensive options in March, Guardiola again named Alleyne as part of his thinking: “Jahmai [Simpson-Pusey] has played a few games there and we have Max Alleyne, and we trust a lot in him. Two players in the Academy who are doing really well in the youth competition in midweek."

So it's fair to say Alleyne is catching the eye of Guardiola and first-team staff even if that debut remains elusive. He wasn't on the pre-season tour last summer, but has knuckled down this season to impress for the academy as they won the Premier League 2 title in impressive style.

'From the get-go I had the right advice'

Maybe Alleyne's suitability for top level football comes from growing up around an England international cricketer - former Gloucestershire all-rounder Mark Alleyne.

"It's that sport mentality, my mum is a nutritionist as well so from the get-go I had the right advice and right food going in me," he tells reporters, including the Manchester Evening News. "It made it easier to transition into professional sport.

"He was never pushy with what I did and wanted to do. I really enjoyed football growing up. He never made me choose between cricket and football. I never really played cricket, I was from quite a small village so there was never really the opportunity. I just played football. I loved it so kept playing."

'Hopefully go to the Club World Cup'

City expect a number of their under-21s to step up next season to first team environments, whether at City or elsewhere. As Player of the Year, it remains to be seen if Alleyne will embark on another year of academy football or head out on loan for experience - but his long-term ambitions are clear.

"We'll see. Hopefully [the next step is] playing for this club," he said. "There's a pathway to the first team from the academy. I've got to go away, hopefully go on the Club World Cup trip and show the manager what I can do.

"You can see this season there have been three or four debuts from the academy. Every time you see someone else do it, it makes it feel more possible for yourself. It's definitely possible and he [Guardiola] trusts the young players.

"We don't know about the Club World Cup but we're always hopeful. Seeing that the pathway is there is really good as a player, you see it and hopefully he keeps on with it and trusts the young players. Because I think we're good enough, we show it every week."

Alleyne is certainly confident in his own ability and why not. City are yet to decide on what their Club World Cup squad will look like but Guardiola can take 35 players to the USA. He currently wants to trim down his squad of around 27, but equally accepts he may have to rely on the academy to make that work in the event of injuries next season.

The Club World Cup could be a way for players like Alleyne to stay in Guardiola's thinking. Equally he has done his talking on the pitch this season and it seems Guardiola is well aware of his ability.

If he does go to the US, will he be keeping a track of the English cricketing summer back home? Dad Mark is head coach at Gloucestershire and England have a test series against India at the same time as the Club World Cup.

"No, I don't watch cricket!" he admits with a laugh. "I watch more golf and football. No cricket, my dad will be fuming, sorry!"

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