McAidoo 'the kind of winger I love' - Maresca

What the report says

Manchester City teenager Ryan McAidoo emerged as one of the main positives from Enzo Maresca’s first match in charge, even though City lost to Inter Milan on penalties in a pre-season game in Hong Kong. BBC Sport reported that the 18-year-old winger, who joined City from Chelsea two years ago, used the second half to showcase his pace, direct running and willingness to take on defenders at Kai Tak Stadium.

Maresca said he already liked McAidoo’s style, describing him as an aggressive one-on-one player who keeps trying to make the right decisions. The City manager also stressed that the youngster still needs the right development path and that the coaching staff are still assessing young players during pre-season before deciding on future opportunities.

McAidoo, who has already made a senior debut and scored for City last season in the FA Cup against Exeter City, came close to deciding the friendly with a shot that hit the post and another effort that went narrowly wide. The report noted that his performance drew strong attention from the crowd and from BBC Sport’s live coverage, with comparisons made to other academy graduates who went on to establish themselves in City’s first team.

The broader significance is that City continue to look for homegrown players who can step up under Maresca, while the club weighs whether McAidoo should stay with the first-team group, feature in cup matches or go out on loan.