Stoke old boy given Man City role after being left out of Premier League squad

Former Stoke City loanee Josh Wilson-Esbrand has joined Manchester City's under-21 squad after being excluded from the senior Premier League roster. Left-back Wilson-Esbrand, 23, remained with City past the summer transfer window and cannot feature in first-team league fixtures. He recently started in a 4-3 Premier League 2 victory over Stoke and is expected to start against Port Vale in the EFL Trophy.

Manchester City Elite Development Squad manager Oli Reiss praised the defender's leadership and standards, noting that Wilson-Esbrand is actively helping younger players. Wilson-Esbrand previously had loan spells at Coventry, Reims, Cardiff, Stoke, and Radomiak Radom after signing a five-year contract with City in 2022.