Khulekani Nxumalo: KwaZulu-Natal talent earns Manchester City trial after Touré referral

The distance between Inchanga in KwaZulu-Natal township and the elite corridors of Manchester City is vast, but for Khulekani “Sdah” Nxumalo, that gap has narrowed significantly after he secured a two-week trial with the former English champions.

Nxumalo, developed at the British Football Academy in Pinetown, Durban, has been invited to train with City’s Under-21 side in what represents the most significant opportunity of his young career.  The trial follows internal recommendations after former City midfielder Yaya Touré viewed footage of the South African and was sufficiently impressed to flag his talent.

Touré then relayed his assessment to his brother Kolo Touré, who is an assistant of ‘super manager’ Pep Guardiola, prompting Manchester City’s international recruitment department to initiate contact and formalise the trial.

By Smiso Msomi

Full story at IOL