The promising West Ham left back that got away

Former Hammer Josh Wilson-Esbrand is being touted be the answer to City’s long-standing left-back problem and a future star.

With Benjamin Mendy suspended by the club indefinitely, Oleksandr Zinchenko injured and Joao Cancelo in need of a rest having played every minute of City’s season so far, Wilson-Esbrand found himself in the starting line-up for the opening game of City’s Carabao Cup defence against Wycombe last week.

The 18-year-old full-back joined City from West Ham in 2019 under Manuel Pellegrini’s management and has since quickly risen through the ranks at the  Manchester club.

In 2019/20 he made 12 appearances in the U18 Premier League, before graduating to the U23 side the season after. This term he has played in three Premier League 2 fixtures, but was absent last Saturday as he was called up to the first-team squad by Pep Guardiola.

He may have only watched on from the bench as City played out a drab 0-0 draw with Southampton in the Premier League, but the fact that the City boss picked him shows just how highly he is regarded.

The youngster is reported to be in line for a full senior debut soon and was on the bench in the City’s Champions League game against PSG.

The promising left-back made his Under-18s debut at West Ham in March 2018 against Spurs and made 15 appearances last season for the U18’s while on a two-year scholarship with the Hammers Academy. He has represented England at both Under-15’s and Under-16’s level.