Enzo Maresca lauded the performance of teenager Ryan McAidoo in Manchester City’s pre-season clash against Inter.
Man City and Inter were level at 1-1 after 90 minutes, but Cristian Chivu’s side won 3-1 on penalties after Rayan Ait-Nouri, Abdukodir Khusanov and Nico Gonzalez all missed from the spot.
City almost avoided penalties when McAidoo curled narrowly wide in the 78th minute before striking the woodwork less than 60 seconds later.
The winger, who replaced goalscorer Divin Mubama at half-time, completed two of his three dribbles, recorded three shots and created one chance as City were on top for the majority of the second half.
Maresca was full of praise for the 18-year-old, who could receive first-team minutes this season.
“We were speaking with the club and since day one I said he is the kind of winger I love,” Maresca said on McAidoo.
“He is very aggressive one-v-one, he always tries, makes the right decisions. But he is very young and he needs the right path.
“If you look in the last the clubs I was part of, I always ask for those kinds of wingers.
Ryan McAidoo, what a player pic.twitter.com/Psi7hcuWbV
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 1, 2026
“You have to do the right process, but then you need players wide who can beat players one-v-one.
“At the moment, with most of the young players, the idea was to see them during pre-season and then decide.
“We started ten days ago and Ryan is working well. We are going to take the right decision. I am always very open with young players.
“At Leicester [City], it was a record number of debuts from the academy and at Chelsea it was also a record number of debuts from the academy.”
City have two more pre-season friendlies, against the K-League Stars and Atletico Madrid, before they face Arsenal in the Community Shield on August 16.
Maresca’s side begin their Premier League campaign a week later at home to Bournemouth.
