Manchester City in talks with Ligue 1 club over midfielder transfer

Ligue 1’s FC Lorient are in talks with Manchester City over the potential permanent transfer of Scotland under-21 midfielder Josh Adam, as per reports.

The teenager joined the City Football Academy system in the summer of 2020 from Scottish Premier League side Celtic, and is renowned for his ability to keep the ball in tight areas and find forward passes.

After joining from Celtic Park, Adam ended his first season with Manchester City’s under-18s with silverware, before playing an integral role once again in the following season, retaining the Under-18 Premier League title via 25 appearances in a possible 27 matches under coach Ben Wilkinson.

While Josh Adam subsequently made a further step up to Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad following the 2021/22 campaign, it now appears as though he could be leaving the club permanently, with a move to France now emerging.

That is according to the information of The Athletic’s David Ornstein, who reports that FC Lorient are in talks with Manchester City to sign the club’s academy midfielder Josh Adam.

While it is reminded that there is still ‘work to be done’ on a proposed switch, both the Premier League and Ligue 1 sides are ‘optimistic’ that an agreement can be reached for the 18-year-old Scotland youth international.

Adam’s possible exit from the club would come just days after Manchester City confirmed the pending departure of Academy Director Jason Wilcox – who will take a new role at fellow Premier League side Southampton.

Wilcox has played an integral role in developing the link between Manchester City’s academy conveyor belt, and Pep Guardiola’s first-team squad over the years, and is often credited with the rise of the likes of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and most recently, Rico Lewis.

Should Josh Adam make the switch to FC Lorient, he would join the likes of Samuel Edozie, Juan Larios, and Romeo Lavia in leaving the club on permanent transfers, although Manchester City have shown a tendency to retain favourable clauses in youth player exits.