City starlet Doyle in line for improved deal

Tommy Doyle is set to be rewarded with a new deal after making his senior Manchester City debut on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup. The Sandbach-born starlet only turned 18 a fortnight ago but gave a mature performance in the comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton at the Etihad Stadium.
The midfielder first caught manager Pep Guardiola’s eye during pre-season and the youth team skipper has continued to show the Catalan tactician that he is a player of great potential.
He certainly has a strong City footballing pedigree, with two former club legends in Glyn Pardoe and the late Mike Doyle, as grandfathers.
And City’s bosses are already planning to acknowledge his increased status and improve his present deal, which runs until 2021, to put the academy graduate further out of bounds.
It’s understood Doyle is still earning scholar-type wages on around £800-per-week, so can expect to see his money increased tenfold in the near future.
Doyle has been with City for over a decade and it is hoped he can be brought on and progress in the same vein as fellow midfielder Phil Foden, who is now starting to see more regular first-team action in recent weeks.
Doyle is a box-to-box midfielder and has previously mentioned he has modelled his game on former Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, with City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne also now a huge influence for him.
Guardiola admitted he gave Doyle his opportunity in an effort to rest Germany international Ilkay Gundogan, with Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho also suspended on the night.
The City boss, however, said he was suitably impressed: “Tommy was with us in pre-season and I saw him a few times in the academy and didn’t have any doubts he would play good (against Southampton). “He played so good for a first game in a position that is not natural for him (holding midfielder). I saw him playing there for a few days when he normally plays in front, but he played really good. Congratulations for his debut.”