Denayer to lead youthful charge to Man City first team

Denayer to lead youthful charge to Man City first team

The young defender is set to stake a claim next season along with the likes of Karim Rekik and Marcos Lopes.

Jason Denayer clears the ball from Inter's Mauro Icardi

Jason Denayer is being lined up for his international debut – and could get his chance to join City’s first team squad this summer.
The 19-year-old Belgian defender is being tipped by that country’s media to be handed his first cap in Saturday’s European Championships qualifier against Cyprus, partnering City clubmate Vincent Kompany in central defence.
And that is the latest advance in the career of a young player who has had an impressive season on loan at Celtic.
The low standards of the Scottish Premier League are not an acid test of a player hoping to make his way in England.
But the way Denayer kept the shackles on Argentina international Rodrigo Palacio when the Bhoys took on Inter Milan in the San Siro last month spoke of a player rapidly maturing.
Celtic lost the game but Denayer was a central figure in a rearguard action by his ten-man team.
Watching from the stand was Belgium assistant manager Vital Borkelmans – and that display earned him his call-up to the senior international squad, after just two Under-21 caps.
Kompany has long been a fan of, and a support to, his countryman. And when Denayer’s loan spell at Celtic ends in June, his development will be assessed, along with fellow loanees Karim Rekik, aged 20, and 19-year-old Marcos “Rony” Lopes.

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All three qualify as home-grown and club-trained players, and may get the chance to go on the club’s pre-season jaunt to Australia – those decisions have not yet been taken.
Denayer is hoping he gets the call for his country, and with a few defenders out injured, he may just get his chance.
“I would be honoured to play for my national team, and I will get a rest at the end of the season,” said Denayer, who was very impressive for Patrick Vieira’s under-21 squad last season.
“With Celtic, we have had a heavy schedule, but you just have to deal with it. Of course, it is easier to cope when you are winning games and cups. Mentally and physically, you always feel better and ready for the next game.”
Denayer could end up fighting for a place with Rekik, who has also had another successful loan spell at PSV Eindhoven, who sit proudly on top of the Dutch league.
Rekik is a regular at PSV and the club wants him to return for a third successive season, after himself making the breakthrough into the senior Holland squad – although he is currently with the Under-21s.
Rekik says he has been offered an extra year on a contract that expires in the summer of 2016, and City are keen for him to get Champions League experience.
Said Rekik: “They want to extend my contract and then loan me out again – there is no decision yet.
“My future is being dealt with by different parties, but City and myself play an important role in that, of course.
“Another year in the Eredivisie would not be a punishment.”
Lopes is also being tipped to get a tilt at staking a place in the first team squad, and could even step up to replace James Milner if the England man decides to leave in the summer.
Lopes has had a fine season with Lille, where he has quickly become one of the star players.
While those three could be heading back to City in the summer, 18-year-old Belgian defender appears to be set for a loan spell cross the Channel.
Mathias Bossaerts is likely to go to either Belgium or Holland – and he refuted the suggestion that he made a bad choice when he opted to leave Anderlecht for Manchester in 2012.
“I think I made the right choice, even if others think differently,” said Bossaerts.
“In the past three years I think I have learned a great deal.
“It is true that it is not easy to break through into the first team – there are not many young people in the Premier League.”