Pep Guardiola confirmed Man City star who can save him millions in transfer window
Manchester City may not have wrapped up the Premier League title just yet, but they’ve already topped one key table this season — and it’s come from their next generation of stars. The club’s Elite Development Squad (EDS) clinched first place in Premier League 2 following a dominant 4-0 win over Newcastle, and the night belonged to one man in particular: Divin Mubama.
The 20-year-old striker, who was signed from West Ham United for a modest £1.2 million compensation fee last summer, scored the third goal of the night to seal City’s place at the top. Now, the young Blues are preparing for a 16-team playoff to determine the ultimate champions — but for Mubama, it’s looking like this is just the beginning of a very bright future.
Born in Newham, Mubama had to wait until late November to make his EDS debut due to injury setbacks. But since then, the forward has exploded onto the scene, notching up 10 goals and providing four assists in just nine appearances for City’s youth side. His remarkable form caught the attention of Pep Guardiola, who handed him a senior debut in January’s FA Cup third-round clash with Salford City. Mubama didn’t disappoint — donning the No. 67 shirt, he needed just 20 minutes to score in an 8-0 demolition. He followed that up with another senior appearance, playing 27 minutes in City’s 6-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town just over a week later.
In light of Erling Haaland’s ankle injury at Bournemouth last month, speculation has grown that City may look to bolster their attacking options this summer. But behind closed doors at the Etihad, many believe they might already have the answer within their own ranks. Mubama’s potential is turning heads and could well make him a permanent fixture in the first-team setup next season.
New director of football Hugo Viana, who is set to take over a squad facing a potential rebuild, may find Mubama’s emergence to be a timely blessing. With club stalwart Kevin De Bruyne confirmed to be leaving and the futures of stars like Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes, and James McAtee uncertain, the club is entering a transitional phase. Having a young, hungry striker ready to make the leap could save City millions — money that can be invested elsewhere in reshaping the squad.
Mubama arrived at City with more than just promise. Before his move, he made 18 senior appearances for West Ham and scored in a Europa Conference League match against AEK Larnaca. He was also a standout player in West Ham’s FA Youth Cup-winning team in 2023, which crushed Arsenal 5-1 at the Emirates — a final that featured rising Gunners talents like Lewis Myles-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.
While City spent £59 million in January to sign Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt — a move that has already paid off with seven goals in 14 games — there’s still talk about striker reinforcements. One name often mentioned is Liam Delap. Sold to Ipswich Town last summer for £20 million, City inserted a £30 million buy-back clause into the deal. Delap has since scored 12 goals, attracting interest from several major clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, and Bayern Munich.
If City choose to trigger that clause, they could potentially flip Delap for a healthy profit — but with Mubama proving he can deliver, they may feel there’s no need to bring Delap back at all. City would still benefit financially, as they hold a 20 percent sell-on clause in any future deal involving Delap and Ipswich.
Ultimately, Mubama’s rise is not just a feel-good story — it’s a strategic advantage. His development could allow Manchester City to bypass the inflated transfer market this summer and instead promote from within. With a natural goal-scoring instinct, big-game composure, and plenty of room to grow, Divin Mubama might just be the future of City’s frontline.
