Fernando singles out Man City youngster most likely to make the big time

Manchester City midfielder Fernando has highlighted Kelechi Iheanacho as the most likely of the club's youngsters to make their mark on the first team.

Iheanacho, the 19-year-old Nigerian, has scored four times for Manuel Pellegrini's side this season - including late winners against Crystal Palace and Swansea City in the Premier League - and has been tipped for the big time since arriving at the club, officially at least, last January.

And Fernando has added himself to the youngster's growing list of admirers. Asked which of the club's many young hopefuls can look forward to a future in the senior ranks, the Brazilian told "Kelechi Iheanacho. For me, given his age, the personality he has, the way he finishes, he’s impressed me a lot."

"I think [ he can play in the first team]. In football you can never say who is going to make it, there are a lot of great young players who you see but don’t go on to play at a high level, but if he is humble and he works a lot he’s got all the tools to make it."

Fernando was also full of praise for the Blues' state of the art training centre, the Etihad Campus, which was opened amid much fanfare one year ago.

The club hope the new facilities, which allow youth team players to mingle with first team stars, will help to produce a new generation of talent.

"It's fantastic," Fernando added. "It’s a fantastic academy, definitely one of the best in the world, I might be wrong but for me it is the best. 

"There are so many things to help a player get better, particularly for the young players. There’s nothing we can complain about, I love it there."