Update: Hugo Viana gets priceless Man City bonus to help Pep Guardiola win News

Pep Guardiola has given Nico O’Reilly a new challenge at Manchester City as he embeds himself within the first team.

Hugo Viana has walked into more headaches at Manchester City than he could have imagined when he agreed to take over from Txiki Begiristain, and even a win at Goodison Park on Saturday was not painless. The new sporting director was stood metres away from journalists as Kevin De Bruyne headed straight past him to tell reporters about how much he disagreed with the ‘business’ decision to move on from him.

De Bruyne’s hurt has upset more Blues who were already devastated at one of the club’s best ever players being shown the exit door. It could give City more pain next season, although on the evidence of the 33-year-old’s performance against Everton there will not be a long queue of Premier League clubs looking to take the Belgian on high wages.

City have to look to the future, and whether they will be proven right or wrong on De Bruyne there was more encouragement for Viana at the weekend with another matchwinning contribution from Nico O’Reilly. He may not be a left-back, but when he plays like this the 20-year-old is making it impossible for Pep Guardiola not to hand him a fifth straight start.

There have been some talented youngsters come through under Guardiola but O’Reilly may take the prize for the quickest rise, instantly making himself immovable from the team since coming on at Bournemouth in March and coming up with the two assists that booked City their trip to Wembley. A joke afterwards by the manager that he would have to pick him for the semi-final has turned to an obvious reality in just three weeks.

After the Everton game, Guardiola made clear that the only thing that could keep O’Reilly out of either match is fatigue. “We have to see if he can play every three days, like for example, Bernardo has proven, or Kevin has proven, or Ruben has proven, so I don’t know if these young players are able to play three games a week, during the month, and month, and month, but it’s a reality already,” he said.

“I admire a lot the fact that he’s playing in a position he’s never played before, he’s learning, of course has to improve, but with the ball it’s good. I’m pretty sure if he plays attacking midfield, and every cross is in he’s in the penalty spot, that’s what I like about attacking midfield.

“I’m pretty sure, otherwise he doesn’t score the goals like he’s scored so far, but he likes to be there, has a good shot, and quality in small spaces, and he’s helping us with the problems that we had in the set pieces.”

If things had gone differently, O’Reilly could have been sold to a rival before Viana had officially come through the door. Chelsea wanted him in January and it was telling at the time that the interest was rebuffed not because he wasn’t for sale but because the West London club refused to offer a buyback clause.

City’s stance would surely be different now, as would O’Reilly’s after nailing down a place in the starting XI in a matter of weeks. A new contract will surely follow instead, and Viana can count on the youngster adding to the homegrown quota for City next season as an important part of Guardiola’s squad no matter where he ends up.

That in itself is important in a summer where Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish could leave, a decision has to be taken on John Stones and Scott Carson will have to decide if he still wants to be making the bench once he turns 40 in September. Rico Lewis, Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb and others are still around, but the more homegrown players the easier squad planning in the market is.

Viana can’t have expected the slump City went on after his appointment to have been as bad as it has been, but keeping and unearthing O’Reilly as the latest academy gem could end up being a priceless bonus for his first months in the job.

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