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The nine-year-old recently signed for City’s U9 team, and what influenced his decision has been revealed.
Harambee Stars prospect Aymen Onyango was influenced by Phil Foden to join the Manchester City academy.
The youngster tried out with Liverpool and Manchester United before he finally settled on joining the Etihad club. Part of the reason he preferred the Manchester outfit is the presence of Phil Foden.
The English international is himself a product of City’s academy and has gone on to become a first-team member.
"City are one of the best academies right now," Lucas Onyango, Aymen’s father, told Citizen Digital. "We were at Liverpool, we were at United [Manchester], and every academy has its positives and negatives.
"But I always believe with sports, it is a matter of where the child is comfortable, and Aymen was comfortable at City, and that’s how we let it be.
"His favourite player is Phil Foden because he is a local boy who used to live right next to where my warehouse is in Manchester. He loves Foden because he sees himself going through that [Foden’s path to the senior team]."
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Aymen’s father believes the son’s dedication and desire will help him be a successful footballer in the future.
"Aymen is one person who is never scared of working hard," he added.
"I have seen him come from rugby to football when he was five years old. This journey started three years ago, and it is just now, when he signed for Manchester City, that we let Kenyans and the world know because it will motivate other kids back at home."
Apart from Foden’s influence, Onyango senior explained why they were convinced to choose City over other clubs.
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City are without a loss since February 5 and need to win five of the six remaining games to retain the title.
"They get the best training," he concluded. "They have played Arsenal, Chelsea, and all the other teams, and they have beaten them all.
"They have a very good setup, and the kids are well taken care of, and that’s the most important thing. That is what it is all about."
Leo Messo at Arsenal, Brooklyn Mwadime Kazungu at Leicester City, George Gitau at Middlesbrough, and Silko Amari Otieno Thomas at Chelsea are the other Kenyan prospects training in England.
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