From loan spells for exciting young prospects to trophy lifts to the development of Academy staff, the 2025/26 season has been a hugely satisfying one for the German in his third year at the helm.
But perhaps the most rewarding aspect from the past nine months for Kruecken has been the eye-catching number of first-team minutes for Academy graduates in tandem with the eight debuts over the course of the campaign.
Phil Foden, James Trafford, Nico O’Reilly, Rico Lewis, Divine Mukasa, Jaden Heskey, Reigan Heskey, Charlie Gray, Max Alleyne, Ryan McAidoo and Stephen Mfuni all contributed to City recording the highest number of minutes by Academy graduates than any other Premier League outfit.
And alongside first-team minutes for Pep Guardiola’s side, City also had 16 players on loan gaining valuable senior experience around the globe in what is another key pillar for the Academy.
“First for me it’s about the minutes of Academy graduates around the first team,” began Kruecken when asked to reflect on 2025/26.
“And I checked it, 12,500 minutes this season. And we increased the number of minutes from Academy graduates around the first team by around 75% in the last three years, which is incredible to see.
But it’s not just about that. For me to develop players like Stephen Mfuni or Divine Mukasa, 17, 18 years of age, to be ready for the Championship, [their] first experience in the men’s game at that level, this is an incredible achievement built over years.
“And this really counts and this really matters.
“Second, eight further debutants. I learned in the last 10 years [it’s] about 41 [under Pep Guardiola].
“For me a debut is great because it’s an indicator that our high-potential players get the opportunity to play men’s football and get the trust to showcase themselves.”
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For players, working relentless hours training, playing, strengthening in the gym, overcoming injury set-backs, the journey to senior football can be an unforgiving one.
But for Kruecken, he feels that having role models such as Phil Foden, Rico Lewis and more recently Nico O’Reilly serves as the perfect reminder that the transition from City’s Academy to the first-team is there for the taking.
“Nico O’Reilly is a role model for the Academy because he started his journey in the junior academy and went through [to the first team],” continued Kruecken.
“I can remember when he played against [Slovan] Bratislava in the UEFA Youth League.
“It’s not that long ago but with the right attitude, with his professionalism, with his self-belief, his resilience and also the strong relationship he has in his background with his Mum, the right environment and also obviously us as a football club who believed in him.
“Especially Pep Guardiola who gave him all the experiences. We are all so proud and a big motivation for every one of us to develop the next Nico O’Reilly or Phil Foden or Cole Palmer.
“So we are hungry for more.”
You can watch Thomas Kruecken’s end of season review interview in full on mancity.com and the Official Man City App.
