Patience wears thin at seventeen. Sit on a bench for long enough and even the politest teenager starts glancing at the exit. Sky Germany says that’s happening at Borussia Dortmund, and Manchester City have noticed.

Mathis Albert. Remember it. He’s a creative attacking midfielder who likes picking up the ball between the lines, turning sharply and slipping a pass through before defenders settle. Slightly raw, absolutely exciting.

Back in January, City were prepared to pay up to €20 million, according to a report relayed by Transfer Feed. No formal offer arrived because Dortmund flatly refused to sell. The PL side asked again this summer and got nowhere. Other suitors now lurk too, all eyeing January.

Nothing can happen straight away anyway. He turns 18 in May, and overseas players can’t join Premier League clubs before that birthday.

Would Maresca actually want him?

Probably, yes. Enzo Maresca likes midfielders who shuffle into pockets, recycle possession cleanly and stay calm when opponents press hard. Albert’s playing style leans that way. Sky reports his lack of minutes is annoying him, and that mood could cause Dortmund real headaches when the next windows open.

Competition exists, naturally. Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki currently share the creative duties at Manchester City, with Tijjani Reijnders able to drift forward too.

Should City wait until next summer for him?

Yes, and they shouldn’t pretend otherwise. Regulations block a deal before May, so rushing in January achieves nothing except raising Dortmund’s asking price. Quiet, regular contact with his camp matters far more right now.

Waiting helps Manchester City as well. Every weekend he spends watching rather than playing makes our pitch sound better, and Maresca can offer something Dortmund can’t, and that’s a clear role in a side that rotates heavily across four competitions.

The risk is obvious, though. Foden and Cherki aren’t going anywhere, so he’d arrive as a squad option rather than a starter. For a hungry teenager, that could sting. We’d need to be honest about minutes, using cup games and league rotation to bring him along gently.

Price is the other worry. €20 million looks sensible today. If he finally gets a run in Dortmund’s team and shines, that number climbs fast, and other big clubs will start phoning. Man City should stay friendly, stay patient, and keep their scouts in the stands.