Pep Guardiola Says "New Generation" Of Manchester City Players Are "Exceptional" After Youngsters Shine In Win Over Bayern Munich

Pep Guardiola is confident that the future of Manchester City is in good hands.

The City boss watched his team beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.

Guardiola fielded four players aged 20 or younger - Rico Lewis, James McAtee, Oscar Bobb and Maximo Perrone.

Lewis, 18, set up McAtee, 20, for the game's opening goal before Bobb and Perrone both impressed as second-half substitutes.

James McAtee, 20, scored for Manchester City against Bayern Munich on Wednesday

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Mathys Tel equalized for Bayern against the run of play but Aymeric Laporte scored a late winner following an assist from another former City academy star in Phil Foden, 23.

Speaking to the club's official website after the win, Guardiola said of City's youth setup: "It's unbelievable, the guys who are in charge and the recruitment.

"The new generation is coming and they told me it is really good, there are three or four players that are exceptional."

Not all of City's talented youngsters progress directly to the first-team.

England Under 21 keeper James Trafford recently left City to join Burnley in a £15 million deal, after teenage midfielder Shea Charles moved to Southampton for £10.5m earlier this month.

Many other players have left City in lucrative transfers in recent years following their graduation from the club's academy.

City generally like to insert a buy-back clause when they sell a young player.

Guardiola added: "We sell a lot, normally with a buy-back. To make £80m or £85m just from the Academy is unbelievable.

"That shows how good the club is working. I am pretty sure that one or some of them maybe will be back here with us. [I'm] really pleased."

Pep Guardiola is very impressed by City's youth setup

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