Here are Salford’s top footballing talents that could rival any city in England from playing among Europe elites to dominating the game abroad.
James McAtee
James McAtee is one of Salford’s biggest names in football, the Manchester City academy product is currently applying his trade in the Premier League with relegation threatened Sheffield United.
The young attacking midfielder impressed during the 2022-23 season for the Blades in the Championship winning the side’s young player of the season award as he helped the side gain automatic promotion to the Premier League.
The midfielder has affectionately been nicknamed the “Salford Silva” by fans of both Manchester City and Sheffield United after Spanish midfielder David Silva due to the similarities in their playstyle. The Manchester City loanee will hope his performances have impressed City boss Pep Guardiola before he returns to the club in the summer transfer window.
Angel Gomes
The ex-Manchester United academy player grew up in the city despite being London born. Despite still only being 23 many wrote Gomes off as a failed wonderkid following his release from United in 2020.
The starlet was snatched up by French side Lille following his departure from the North West and has since made 83 league appearances in the French top division for Les Dogues. Gomes will hope to break into the England setup in the near future after being capped at multiple youth levels for England throught his career.
Gomes was part of the England U17 squad which won the 2017 U17 World Cup starring alongside the likes of Phil Foden and Rhian Brewster during the tournament.
Natasha Flint
Flint joined Manchester United’s Centre of Excellence at the age of five before moving to cross city rivals Manchester City in 2013. She signed her first professional contract at age 17 with the Citizens just ahead of the clubs first campaign in the Women’s Super League.
Flint has bounced between multiple clubs since her departure from City in 2015 including a three year stint at Blackburn Rovers where she scored 70 goals from 66 appearances. The now 27-year-old has recently re-joined Celtic following a short stint at Liverpool where she scored three goals in 10 WSL games.
Jayce Fitzgerald
A name that won’t be familiar to many, Jayce Fitzgerald is currently tearing up the U18 Premier League for Manchester United with three goals and two assists in 12 appearances for the reds this season.
Fitzgerald will hope to be the next big midfield product to come from Carrington as the 2007-born central midfielder will hope to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Tom Cleverley in breaking into the United first team after success in the academy.
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