Manchester City have recalled academy player Max Alleyne from his season-long loan spell at Watford to ease their defensive injury crisis, but who is the defender?
The highly-rated England Under-21 international joined City from Southampton’s academy in 2021 for a reported £1.5m fee and is described as a “cultured and ball-playing” centre-back.
He helped the elite development squad win the Premier League 2 title last season and after a total of 28 games at that level, his impressive performances saw him claim the club’s under-21 player of the year award.
The 20-year-old has sporting pedigree running in his family, with his father being former England cricket all-rounder and current Gloucestershire coach Mark Alleyne.
As a player, Mark played 10 one-day internationals for England between 1999 and 2000, scoring almost 15,000 first-class runs in his career.
Alleyne told BBC Sport last year he did not choose to play cricket as he “enjoyed football growing up” and his dad was “never pushy” in what he wanted to do.
After making 16 appearances in the Championship this season, Alleyne – if selected – could make his senior debut for City in Wednesday’s Premier League meeting against Brighton or on Saturday against Exeter City in the FA Cup.
Boss Pep Guardiola recalled the young centre-back following injuries to Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol – with the latter set for surgery after breaking his shinbone.
Speaking in his pre-match news conference, Guardiola said: “Max has come back from his loan at Watford. We appreciate Watford for what they have done for the young lad.”
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While still in the infancy of his professional career, Alleyne’s playing style has seen him mould into an athletic centre-back who comfortable both passing and dribbling with the ball – earning comparisons to City and England team-mate John Stones.
Alleyne has been among Watford’s most consistent players at clearances and tackles, but also ranks high for dribbles and long passes.
He was signed as an eight-year-old by Southampton and was thrown into under-18s action aged just 15, playing a key role in an academy group that included now Everton winger Tyler Dibling.
“He had that sort of innate athletic ability,” said his former Southampton academy manager Matt Hale, who now occupies the same role at Derby County.
“He grew, he got strong, he was quick. He liked defending but he alse built an incredible positive aspect of being able to handle the ball, dribble, dribble out from the back, almost run with the ball like a modern day centre-back needs to do.
“He had not only the defensive skill set, he offered so much to the team with the ball as well, and he was very competent with the ball at his feet.”
His performances did enough to attract the attention of some of the biggest clubs in England, eventually signing with City.
“He was definitely one of our best players aged under 16 and you don’t want to lose your best players,” added Hale.
“I’m sure he would have thrived and done well had he stayed at Southampton, but also if you get offered compensation or finance and it becomes a business decision for the board.”
The England youth international joined Watford in the summer, making 15 starts in all competitions and becoming a key component a Javi Gracia’s side that is unbeaten in 11 of their last 12 games and condeded 13 goals in that period.
“Initially when Max signed there were reservations about his physical profile and whether he would be able to adapt quickly to the Championship,” said James Batchelor from The Watford Way.
“Those concerns were quickly quelled and he went on to become a mainstay in the team.
“Some Watford players have nicknamed him ‘Jonny Stones’ which reflects how highly they rate him and the potential they believe he has to develop into a world-class talent,” he added.
So, is he ready for the intensity and physicality of the Premier League?
“Pep has a proven track record of fast-tracking young players into the City first team, and I can see the same happening with Max,” said Batchelor.
“He is a great talent with a calm head and, most importantly, remains humble. He will be greatly missed at Vicarage Road.”
And it is not just Watford fans who tip him to have a bright future.
“He’s curious, he’s a learner, and he’ll listen, and he’ll absorb information. I think that’s what’s allowed him to keep developing at Southampton, Man City and on loan,” Hale added.
“He’ll be respectful to the people he’s working with and the coaches that are teaching him. He’ll be curious to learn, he’ll ask questions and he’ll take things on board.
This article is the latest from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.
