I felt a familiar, almost electric jolt of intrigue. A kid released by Man City. A kid whose parents were desperate for a second chance. It was a story I had heard before. It was the same story as JJ and also of Eberechi Eze. It was the story of Antoine Semenyo. It was the story of my beautiful, broken, resilient team.
"What's the catch?" I asked, my voice a quiet, almost cautious whisper. "There's always a catch."
Gary chuckled, a dry, rasping sound. "He's a talent, no doubt about it. Been on trial at City for the last three months. They were close to signing him. But he's… raw. A bit of a maverick. Physically, he's not quite there yet. And his decision-making can be… erratic. City decided he was too much of a risk. They want the finished article, even at sixteen. They don't have the time, or the inclination, to polish rough diamonds anymore."
