16-year-old Utrecht goalkeeper Mikki van Sas has left FC Utrecht to link up with Manchester City's academy.
Van Sas has played a total of six times for the Netherlands at Under-15 and Under-16 levels, and had been playing for Utrecht in the Under-17 Eredivisie. Born in 2004, his contract was due to expire in the summer of 2022.
The Utrecht academy has become known as a bit of a breeding ground for young goalkeepers, with former Dutch internationals Michel Vorm and Hans van Breukelen both graduates of the club's youth setup. Between them, they earned 88 caps for the Oranje.
According to Dutch national newspaper De Telegraaf, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City beat rivals Manchester United, as well as Barcelona, to the signing of Van Sas, who will go straight into the Citizens' academy programme for the start of next season.
Utrecht's technical director Jordy Zuidam released a statement on the club's website to confirm his departure, admitting the Dutch side had mixed emotions about seeing their teenage prodigy head for pastures new.
"We say goodbye to Mikki with mixed feelings. On the one hand, we regret that Mikki, an incredibly talented goalkeeper, leaves our academy," Zuidam said.
"We would of course have liked to see Mikki shine in the Galgenwaard Stadium, which is what we train for."
"On the other hand, Mikki said that he really wanted to make this move and we also see his transfer to Manchester City as a compliment to our youth academy.
"This transition confirms the elevated level of the academy. We have reached an agreement with Manchester City on the transfer terms and all parties are satisfied. We wish Mikki every success in England."
Manchester City's academy sides had to end their season prematurely because of coronavirus, but it has meant that a number of youngsters have been able to train with Guardiola and the first team squad, gaining valuable experience along the way.
Source : 90min