Man City’s hidden prodigy Rabbi Matondo is faster than Leroy Sane and Kyle Walker and has earned Wales call-up
His time of 2.62 seconds for the 20m sprint beat first-team speedsters Sane, Sterling and Walker
WALES could hand a debut to Manchester City’s fastest player in Albania on Tuesday.
Wonderkid Rabbi Matondo, 18, was quicker than Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and Leroy Sane at the Premier League champions’ end-of-season 20m sprint tests with a time of 2.62 seconds.
Ryan Giggs has joined Pep Guardiola in being a fan of the teen star with the Wales boss drafting in the forward for the friendly in Elbasan.
Matondo said: “We did fitness tests, 20m sprints and other things as well. It turned out my time was the fastest in the academy and it later came out it was the fastest in the whole club.
“As you know there’s some really fast players at Manchester City. I’m not really bothered about it, but of course everyone’s going to talk about it. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
Matondo, who joined City from Cardiff two seasons ago, has trained with Guardiola’s first-team stars.
Matondo, speaking to walesonline last month, added: “For me he’s the best manager in the world, and to even be on the same pitch as him is an honour in itself.
“I’m very thankful for getting the chance to witness first hand how he manages the team and how he goes about things.”
Matondo was born in Liverpool but says he has no doubts over his international allegiance.
Now the forward, who has six Wales u-21 caps, aims to follow in the footsteps of Chelsea’s Ethan Ampadu and David Brooks of Bournemouth and Liverpool’s Ben Woodburn, who were all dual qualified.
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Matondo said: “I feel Welsh. I’m really happy and honoured to say that I’m Welsh. I’m so happy to see the other youngsters doing so well at the moment.
“It motivates me too because I remember myself playing with these players during the younger age groups in the Wales set-up.
"And now they’ve gone on to do so well and all fully deserve their first team call-ups.
“I’m really happy and obviously it inspires me to push to their level and get into the Wales first team.”
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Matondo will be joined in the wonderkid ranks by "the next Jadon Sancho", apparently.
Darko Gyabi, an England youth player, has moved to the Etihad from Millwall in a deal worth around £300,000, with add-ons reaching over £1million dependant on success.
City beat and Wolves to the signing of the 14-year-old South London lad who was playing two years above his age last season in Millwall’s U16s.
Gyabi, from Catford, is a box-to-box central midfielder whose flair and skill caught the attention of the champions.