Pep Guardiola
Max Alleyne, Manchester City’s under-21 Player of the Season, is determined to forge his own path at the Etihad Stadium. Despite having international sport in his blood, Alleyne is focused on his football career, having been around the first team but yet to make his senior debut. His journey has seen him flirt with the first team, earning a call-up in the Champions League during the 2023/24 season and nearly making his debut against Red Star Belgrade.
Pep Guardiola said: “At the end I wanted to put Max on as a central defender because he has a special quality with the ball. We trust a lot in him.”
In November 2024, Guardiola expressed his frustration with England’s management of Alleyne at the under-20 level, citing overuse and resulting injury concerns.
Guardiola said: “They pushed Max’s limits and he came back injured. If one player goes to the national team not in perfect condition and trains with the Under 21s in the morning and in the afternoon with the Under 20s, and then plays two games when not fully fit, it’s normal that he is injured. We are going to lose him for three weeks to one month again.”
Alleyne has been a consistent presence in first-team training and was highlighted last season as a promising talent within City’s academy. He was awarded the 2023 under-18 Player of the Year and recently named U21 Player of the Year at the academy awards, attended by Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain. Despite not being on the pre-season tour last summer, Alleyne has impressed this season, contributing to the academy’s Premier League 2 title win.
Alleyne’s sporting mentality is influenced by his upbringing, with his mother being a nutritionist, providing him with the right advice and diet from an early age. This foundation has eased his transition into professional sport. Reflecting on his journey, Alleyne shared his long-term ambitions, expressing hope to play for Manchester City’s first team and potentially participate in the Club World Cup.
Max Alleyne said: “We’ll see. Hopefully [the next step is] playing for this club. There’s a pathway to the first team from the academy. I’ve got to go away, hopefully go on the Club World Cup trip and show the manager what I can do.”
Alleyne’s confidence in his abilities is evident as he looks forward to potential opportunities. With Guardiola able to take 35 players to the USA for the Club World Cup, Alleyne could be part of the squad. His performances this season have not gone unnoticed, and he remains a key figure in Guardiola’s plans. Despite his father’s cricketing background, Alleyne humorously admitted he doesn’t follow cricket, preferring golf and football instead.
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