Manchester Citys Academy Strategy Pays Off Again with Alfa-Ruprecht Deal

Manchester City sold 19-year-old Farid Alfa-Ruprecht to Bayer Leverkusen for £5 million, including a 50 percent sell-on clause. City have made over £200 million from academy sales in the last three years, using similar clauses in deals for players like James Trafford, Romeo Lavia, and Liam Delap to secure future profits.

As the transfer window progresses, Manchester City have once again demonstrated their mastery in generating revenue through smart sales of academy talent. The latest example is 19-year-old Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, who joined Bayer Leverkusen in a £5 million deal that includes a significant 50 percent sell-on clause. Despite never making a senior appearance for City, the club remains invested in his future success.

City’s strategy of inserting profit-oriented clauses has proven fruitful in recent years. James Trafford’s likely move from Burnley to Newcastle for over £30 million could earn City more than £3 million due to a 20 percent profit clause from his 2023 sale. Similarly, Liam Delap’s transfer from Ipswich to Chelsea brought in £2 million, while Morgan Rogers and Aro Muric's moves also triggered additional earnings.

Romeo Lavia stands out as a prime example: originally sold to Southampton for £10.5 million, City made another tidy sum when he later joined Chelsea for £58 million. In total, over the past three years, City have generated more than £200 million through academy graduate sales, often boosted by well-placed clauses. With a strong pipeline of talent, evidenced by last season’s U21 Premier League 2 title, City are expected to execute similar deals before the window closes.