Former Colchester United academy player Ryan McAidoo has made his Premier League debut for Manchester City. The 18-year-old forward came on as a late substitute in wins over Crystal Palace and Coventry City to help maintain City's perfect league record this season.
Academy manager James McFarlane highlighted the achievement in the matchday programme for Colchester's recent 1-1 draw with Crewe Alexandra. "It has been great to see former academy player Ryan McAidoo make his first Premier League appearances for Manchester City against Crystal Palace and Coventry City," McFarlane said.
McAidoo was with Colchester from the under-8s to under-12s level, sharing an age group with current U's player Ronnie Harvey at Florence Park. He progressed to Chelsea's academy after three seasons before joining Manchester City's youth set-up in the summer of 2024. He trained with Pep Guardiola's first team last season and made his senior debut in January's FA Cup third-round 10-1 win over Exeter City, scoring one of the goals. He also featured in the fourth-round victory over Salford City.
The club describes him as a player with explosive speed who can operate across the front line. McAidoo signed his first professional contract with City in the summer of 2025.
The news comes as Colchester sit 13th in League Two with 8 points from their opening six matches. Their recent form, reads two wins, one draw and two defeats from the last five games. The team's standings position means they currently trail league leaders Barnet by four points ahead of their next fixtures.
McFarlane noted the pathway from the club's youth system, stating, "Ryan was with us from U8s-U12s before progressing to Chelsea’s academy."
This story first appeared at Colchester Gazette
