Sheffield Wednesday will pray they're not regretting Man City deal in the future | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday will hope Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri's move to Manchester City won't become another case of regret

Sheffield Wednesday rising star Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri is set to join Manchester City, with the Owls desperately hoping this won't become another case of a highly-rated prospect they've allowed to slip through their fingers.

The 15-year-old striker's move to the Etihad Stadium would certainly be a coup for City, who have reportedly fought off competition from Everton and Chelsea to secure one of England's most promising young talents.

City will pay an initial £900k upfront, with the fee rising to £1.5m for the son of former Everton forward Danny Cadamarteri.

Caelan-Kole finished as the top scorer in the U18 Professional Development League with 24 goals last season, despite being several years younger than most of his oppenents.

Given Sheffield Wednesday's current predicament, the timing of the transfer can be seen as quite poignant - as the South Yorkshire side are currently under multiple EFL embargos and face the very real possibility of losing key first-team players.

Clubs who've lived to regret selling youngsters too early

Football history is littered with examples of sides who've lived to regret selling talented youngsters too early.

Manchester City themselves have experienced this pain in recent years, with Cole Palmer's move to Chelsea serving as a stark reminder of what can happen when promising academy products are allowed to leave - he netted 16 goals whilst providing 12 assists last season.

Similarly, Chelsea have seen former talents flourish elsewhere after being deemed surplus to requirements.

Kevin De Bruyne's early departure from the London club to Wolfsburg before his eventual rise to one of the world's best, at Manchester City, stands as one of the most glaring examples of a club missing out on a future superstar.

You don't always have to look at the top six though - Charlton Athletic were forced to accept an initial fee of £1.7m for academy graduate Jonjo Shelvey - who was then sold for profits totalling over £10m throughout his career, leaving the Addicks with nothing.

Cadamarteri, Manchester City move will be a lifeline for Sheffield Wednesday

It cannot be understated that the £1.5m windfall couldn't have come at a more crucial time in S6.

Staff and players went without their salaries for May and June - meaning owner Dejphon Chansiri's mucking about has resulted in a three-window transfer embargo and possible points deduction.

However, there are concerns that this money may not reach the intended recipients. Due to oustanding debts to HMRC, and other clubs - including Norwich City and Southampton, the EFL has implemented strict controls over any incoming funds.

Six of Wednesday's players have already handed in their notice due to not being paid - although both of Djeidi Gassama and Pierce Charles have in order for them not to leave for nothing, according to Alan Nixon's Patreon.

The Bigger Picture of Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri to Manchester City

The sale of Cadamarteri has got to represent more than just a single transfer - it's a cog in the wheel of Wednesday's current plight.

While the Owls will be proud of their academy's success in developing such a highly-rated prospect, they're being forced to cash in due to circumstances beyond the pitch.

Perhaps Cadamarteri won't be the only one forced out the door for a cash injection - the same happened at Derby County. Omari Kellyman joined Aston Villa from the Rams before moving to Chelsea for around £19m. Left-back Archie Brown is another who departed and is now being reportedly eyed up by clubs all over Europe, including Italian duo Lazio and Torino.

So as the 15-year-old prepares to take his next steps in Manchester, Sheffield Wednesday will be left to wonder whether they've just witnessed the departure of a future England international - like Charlton Athletic were forced to do with Jonjo Shelvey.