Transfer Rumour: Arsenal keen on Manchester City youngster Bobby Duncan

Arsenal are reportedly keen on Manchester City youngster Bobby Duncan, who is the cousin of Liverpool legend and former England international Steven Gerrard.

According to The Mirror, Arsenal are interested in Manchester City youngster Bobby Duncan and are monitoring the player’s progress at Etihad. Bobby is the cousin of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and has been tipped to have a successful career, albeit in a position different to the Reds great.

Bobby Duncan is a 16-year-old striker that is fast gaining recognition, albeit for his performances at the international level for the Three Lions. While he is still a part of Manchester City’s Under-18 side, the forward has excelled for England at the Under-17 level which also saw him being propelled into training with the Under-20 side recently.

Bobby scored the winner in England Under-17s’ narrow win over Portugal earlier in the week that saw him being invited to train with the Under-20s. However, the player might not be a City player for long. The Citizens have also become somewhat notorious for not providing the young academy graduates much of a look-in into the first-team.

Jadon Sancho left citing the doubts over his path into the first-team setup and while Phil Foden and co. are still there, Bobby Duncan could soon follow suit. City have produced some great prospects in recent times, with Kelechi Iheanacho one of the flagbearers of the academy’s success in setting up a production line for the senior squad.

However, the Nigerian international was sold in the summer and while City have been rampant this season, the youngsters have not been afforded much of a chance, something Pep Guardiola had highlighted would be the case given the competitive level of the league combined with the gulf between academy and reserve football to senior football in England compared to other countries.

Arsenal are among a number of clubs pursuing the Englishman. The Gunners were also thought to be in for Jadon Sancho as well as Dominic Solanke, both of whom ending up elsewhere. Arsene Wenger’s English core at Arsenal have been somewhat depleted and the inclusion of a young striker is also thought to be a priority.

Eddie Nketiah has managed to capture the imagination of the Gooners but is some way off to becoming a regular fixture in the squad. Bobby would also be one for the future and the interest could be down to Arsenal’s success in recruiting from fellow title rivals, case in point being Eddie Nketiah.

Yet to sign a professional deal at City, whether Bobby stays remains to be seen but the bosses at Etihad should be tightening the screws as far as the turnover in the youth squads is concerned, lest they face the possibility of their youngsters being continuously poached by others with the lure of a faster path into the first-team.