Farid Alfa-Ruprecht joins Bayer Leverkusen from Manchester City | OneFootball

Manchester City have confirmed the sale of Academy talent Farid Alfa-Ruprecht to Bayer Leverkusen in a deal that has banked the club further immediate and future profits.

The 19-year-old winger has agreed on a permanent move to the Bundesliga giants after two years within the youth system at the City Football Academy.

Alfa-Ruprecht, who arrived from Hamburg in 2022, has earned admiration internally for his speed, dribbling flair, and direct goal threat – attributes that led to comparisons with Jeremy Doku during his time in Manchester.

Though he did not register a senior appearance for Pep Guardiola’s first-team, Alfa-Ruprecht featured regularly at Under-21 level last season, scoring seven times in just 12 appearances and helping the club clinch the 2024/25 Premier League 2 title.

His only taste of senior involvement came in the Carabao Cup, when he was named in the matchday squad for Manchester City’s away trip to Tottenham, though he remained on the bench throughout the contest.

Despite his limited first-team exposure, interest from across Europe had been growing over the past 12 months and particularly this summer, with City’s willingness to allow a permanent exit based not on doubts over talent, but the intense competition within Guardiola’s senior squad.

Now, as outlined by the Manchester Evening News’ Tyrone Marshall, City have banked £5 million from the sale of Farid Alfa-Ruprecht to Bayer Leverkusen, and have also managed to negotiate a staggering 50 per cent sell-on clause for the German winger.

Speaking upon the signing of the 19-year-old, Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said, “Alfa-Ruprecht made a big impact as a wide player in the English Under-21 league. A strong goal-scoring record, incredible speed, and great footballing talent make him a highly interesting prospect for our first team.”

Adding his own thoughts on the agreement, Director of football Kim Falkenberg admitted, “We clearly see the potential in Farid to become an important player for Bayer 04 in the future.”

As for Farid Alfa-Ruprecht himself, the teenager said of the move, “Leverkusen is a top club with great appeal. I will repay the trust placed in me and do everything I can to earn the chance to play in a Bayer jersey.”

Comments from the highly-rated forward follow a message penned to supporter of Manchester City on Instagram last week, in which he said, “Thank you for the last three years where I was able to develop myself as a footballer but most importantly as a person.

“I want to thank all my teammates and coaches who l was able to work with. I’ve enjoyed every single day of it and I appreciate all your efforts towards me from the first day I arrived at this club.

“Special thanks to my family and closest friends without you I wouldn’t be the person I am today and lastly to my coach Ben Wilkinson who helped me immensely from the first day I arrived. This won’t go unappreciated. Thank you.”

From Manchester City’s perspective, the deal reflects a broader strategy of generating revenue from their highly productive Academy system – a model that has already delivered significant profits through the sales of players such as Romeo Lavia, Liam Delap, and Cole Palmer.

Crucially, the 50 per cent sell-on clause inserted into the Farid Alfa-Ruprecht agreement ensures the Premier League giants remain financially involved in the winger’s development should he earn a major future move.

Looking ahead, Alfa-Ruprecht will now attempt to break into one of Europe’s most exciting attacking sides under Erik ten Hag, with Bayer Leverkusen competing across multiple fronts in the 2025/26 campaign. Should he impress in the Bundesliga, it is perhaps not out of the question that City could revisit the player down the line, or even direct rivals of the Etihad club.

For now, the move brings closure to another successful Manchester City Academy chapter and ensures that the club continues to benefit, both financially and on a reputation perspective, from its youth development efforts.