Carlisle United’s hopes of luring Adam Clayton back to Brunton Park have suffered a blow after the midfielder revealed he is determined to pin down a place in Manchester City’s all-star team.
The 21-year-old midfielder, who starred while on loan at Brunton Park last season, is one of United boss Greg Abbott’s top summer signing targets.
Abbott has been given the funds to make Clayton a permanent signing this summer, although the Blues are bracing themselves for strong competition from Championship clubs.
However, the young playmaker could end up rebuffing all attempts to sign him after insisting his priority is to impress City boss Roberto Mancini during pre-season training and get his big break in the Italian’s first team.
Mancini, who has £100 million to spend for another shot at a top four Premier League finish, has already pledged that youth will get a chance at Eastlands if the club’s youngsters meet the challenge.
Clayton said: “It’s nice to be back and I’m looking forward to next season already.
“I’ve been at City since I was seven so this will always feel like my club.
“I can’t wait to start training and show the manager what I can do because obviously he hasn’t really seen anything of me so far.
“Hopefully there will be opportunities during our pre-season matches to play and I’ll be doing everything I can to impress the boss.”
Clayton has been on the bench twice for City – in a Premier League game against West Brom and FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest – but the youngster was squeezed out of the first-team picture by the arrival of big-money signings with the club’s mega-rich Arab owners promising to build a global super-team.
The England youth international, who starred at last summer’s Under-20 World Cup in Egypt, trained with the City first team last season under previous boss Mark Hughes.
Mancini insists he is prepared to play promising youngsters alongside his legion of international players.
He said: “We have several talented young players trying to break through. The youngsters train often with us at Carrington so they are used to being around the senior players and it is not so much of a shock if I call them into the team.”
Bringing the young midfielder back to Carlisle would undoubtedly require a major outlay from the Blues.
Abbott’s bid to sign Clayton is unlikely to be resolved quickly with some extensive negotiations planned over the close-season.
The United boss has so far drafted in defender Sean McDaid from Doncaster on a free transfer, but has already called on fans to be patient as he bids to further strengthen his squad, which has been left depleted following a major end-of-season clear-out.
sounds like he's got a good attitude - anyone who's seen him play reckon he could cut it?
