Celtic’s move for Manchester City’s latest conveyer belt product makes sense

It wouldn’t be a transfer window without Celtic being linked to a Manchester City Academy graduate who hasn’t quite made the grade. The latest one from the Etihad conveyer belt appears to be Lukas Nmecha.

At youth levels, all the way until he made the step up to first team football Nmecha was a well thought of player. Now at 21 and with three loan spells under his belt it’s easy enough to say that the prolific goalscorer at youth level has petered out somewhat, but I’m not sure that tell the whole story.

In terms of position Nmecha started out as a centre forward. He has since played left wing, right wing as a number 10 and also in central midfield. He certainly appears versatile therefore as an attacking player.

For Manchester City’s Under 18’s he scored 15 times in 16 games and at UEFA league level for the under 19’s his scoring continued against European opposition with eight goals in 14 appearances. When the step up came to Premier League 2 and Manchester City’s Under 23 squad the goals followed with an impressive 27 goals in 35 appearances.

With little chance to break into the City line-up Ncheba took the well-trodden path to first team football with a loan move to Preston North End. Preston have a good record with utilising the loan market and in years gone by have taken advantage with short term deals for the likes of Josh King, Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck.

It’s safe to say that for Ncheba the step up to a physical league seems to have come as a culture shock in comparison to the youth football he had become accustomed to. Three goals and eight assists weren’t what North End were looking for and after six months the player was moved from Centre forward to the wings. Preston fans suddenly saw a player develop and his reputation was enhanced with good performances in the wide areas, so much so that Preston looked to take the player back for a further year. With the benefit of hindsight that may have been wise but things had changed a little for Ncheba.

Having represented England at youth levels from under 16 all the way to Under 21 for England, Ncheba changed allegiances and the Hamburg born youngster switched to representing Germany, where he has made eight appearances and scored two goals for their Under 21 side.

The decision to change national team also led to a decision to refuse to return to Preston and try his luck with Bundesliga club Wolfsburg. It certainly tells you the player was happy to challenge himself and that should be commended. Sadly, for Ncheba and for City it didn’t work out. A little homework on the club they were sending their player too would have flagged up some serious competition for places. Wout Weghorst, Dennis Ginczek, Admir Mehmedi, Josip Brekalo, Felix Klaus, Joao Victor and Renato Steffen were all ahead of the youngster and as seasoned Bundesliga players were ahead of Ncheba.

This is something City do struggle with. The development of their players is rarely matched by a detailed analysis of the club they choose to loan to, and Ncheba’s next stage of development as result was stunted. He made only six Bundesliga appearances, and one in the German cup . He was utilised more in the Europa League making five appearances but all in all it was not a move that worked out.

Last season Ncheba found himself returning to the English Championship for a loan with Middlesborough. Unfortunately with Boro spending most of the season fighting relegation under Jonathan Woodgate’s stewardship he managed only 13 appearances in total and returned to City without a goal to his name.

On paper it looks like Celtic may be interested in a player who has struggled to make the step up to ‘real’ football, but it is clear there is talent in the lad. Not many players represent England at every youth level and then transfer to the German national team. The fact he even had the choice shows that both football associations recognised his talent.

In his only real season in football Preston – while unimpressed with the player as a striker – certainly seemed keen on the player returning as a wide option and there were clear mitigating circumstances at both Wolfsburg and Middlesboro as to why opportunities were limited. At Wolfsburg the competition was fierce and at Boro a battle to survive may not have been somewhere that Woodgate felt he could risk the development of a youngster with his own reputation on the line.

It’s a standing joke of course that when it comes to Manchester City, Celtic always find themselves linked with their peripheral talent, but with Jeremie Frimpong arriving last season and some previous success with Paddy Roberts, Dedryck Boyata and John Gudetti it’s worth remembering they do produce some good footballers and it’s a market Celtic could take advantage of.

Lukas Ncheba has only one year left on his Manchester City deal and a loan move may make sense. It would appear his position is now as a winger rather than as a striker. With Mikey Johnston injured and Karamoko Dembele still developing, it would allow Celtic cover to bring Ncheba in as an inexpensive and low risk option without stunting the development or blocking a pathway to the first team for our own young players.

It may seem an uninspiring link to many of us but there could be a player worth having a look at in Lukas Ncheba. The wide areas in the Celtic squad simply need a little short-term cover and not a first team star. Ncheba may offer the former and with opportunity he may progress to the latter.

About Author

As a Bellshill Bhoy I was taken to my first Celtic game in the summer of 1987. It was Billy McNeill’s return to Celtic Park as manager and Celtic lost 5-1 to Arsenal . I thought I was a jinx, I think my Grandfather might have thought the same. It was the finest gift anyone ever gave me when he walked me through Parkhead's gates.

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