Oscar Bobb’s rise has been self-evident over the past few months and culminated in the Norwegian signing a new five-year contract on Monday, more than tripling his wages to around £50,000 a week, after Mail Sport revealed he was on the way to securing a longer stay.

The timing of the extension said a lot about how the 20-year-old is viewed around the City Football Academy. The Premier League champions are usually reticent to negotiate fresh deals this late into the season, citing that they want players fully focused on the job at hand.

That’s backed up by Kevin De Bruyne and Julian Alvarez being the only other current stars to have penned their latest extensions after October in a campaign. Both are known for their balanced temperaments.

That must’ve been a consideration with Bobb and City clearly felt he could handle it without distraction. His obvious progress – kicking on after a first Champions League goal in December and then a dramatic last-minute winner at Newcastle United – will also have sped up the process.

One staffer told Mail Sport recently that ‘young players most open to learning are usually the most successful on pitch here,’ and it’s certainly true of Bobb. Guardiola has placed his application in training as the most impressive aspect of the winger’s debut campaign and, in typical fashion, then put the pressure on for more.

‘To arrive and make an impact is the easiest one,’ Guardiola said. ‘The really difficult one is to stay there a long time. Millions of players can make some appearances. To do it for years at Man City? The most difficult thing.’ Those words will sound very familiar to Phil Foden, who’s had his fair share of tough love down the years.

Manchester City star Oscar Bobb has been trusted to deal with his new contract without distraction late into the season

The forward has put pen-to-paper on a £50,000-a-week deal, with City rarely dealing with contracts late on in campaigns

The forward has put pen-to-paper on a £50,000-a-week deal, with City rarely dealing with contracts late on in campaigns

Pep Guardiola hailed Bobb's application in training as the most impressive aspect of the winger's debut campaign

Pep Guardiola hailed Bobb’s application in training as the most impressive aspect of the winger’s debut campaign

No ball games in the garden

Sunday’s derby at the Etihad Stadium will feel like a strange one for Omar Berrada, who has chosen to take the chief executive role at Manchester United.

Berrada had been at City for 13 years, moving from business development to commercial and then chief operating officer before heading up their football operations department.

He’d been a key player in City’s success in the transfer market over the years, acting in tandem with director of football Txiki Begiristain to conclude deals. And he was an ever-present around the place, often present home and away.

But Sunday will be the first clash between these two foes he’s missed for some time. Berrada is on gardening leave until the summer, when he takes the reins at Old Trafford, and is not expected to be present for this one.

One onlooker joked that if Sir Alex Ferguson had his way, the ex-United boss might attempt a cheeky invitation to stoke up some tensions – but Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s recent deference towards their local rivals surely puts paid to that idea.

And Berrada, not one for the limelight, might not be thrilled by the idea of cameras trailing him all afternoon anyway. Imagine if he was caught smiling two minutes either side of a City goal. The uproar.

Omar Berrada is on gardening leave and will miss the game before he joins Manchester United in the summer

Omar Berrada is on gardening leave and will miss the game before he joins Manchester United in the summer

Berrada has been at City for 13 years and has been key to his side's success in the transfer department ever since

Berrada has been at City for 13 years and has been key to his side’s success in the transfer department ever since

Erik needs Ole’s playbook

Erik ten Tag will have witnessed Erling Haaland’s stunning haul at Luton Town earlier this week and wondered how best to negotiate this fixture. Luton went man-for-man on City all night, as Arsenal have done in the past but very few others replicate.

Ex-United defender Teden Mengi actually performed admirably against Haaland but the Norwegian’s eventual glut – much of it as a result of the space left in behind by Rob Edwards’ daring style – again showed why teams remain so deep and compact when met with Pep Guardiola’s side.

Over the last few years, United have had their success in this fixture when sitting in and waiting for counter attacking opportunities – especially under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. But will they feel capable of doing that given a host of injuries and an inability to field a recognised left back?

Erik ten Hag will be wondering how his side will be able to deal with Erling Haaland (pictured) on the back of the forward's five goals in the FA Cup

Erik ten Hag will be wondering how his side will be able to deal with Erling Haaland (pictured) on the back of the forward’s five goals in the FA Cup

United have had success in the fixture when sitting in and waiting for counter attacking opportunities under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (pictured)

United have had success in the fixture when sitting in and waiting for counter attacking opportunities under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (pictured)

Ten Hag may not feel capable of doing that given the number of injuries in his defensive line

Derby day different

Thousands of supporters disembarking trains at Piccadilly are going to be met by adverts, designed by City sponsors Asahi. The messaging will be along the lines of ‘derby day is different here’. 

City will hope that doesn’t translate onto the pitch: they’ve stuck 10 goals past United in the last two seasons at home and wouldn’t be overly pleased with ‘different’ this time.

Riyad Mahrez II

City – as has been reported on these pages – are expected to take 19-year-old Savio from sister club Troyes in the summer. The winger’s been a shining light during Girona’s unlikely title charge in La Liga while on loan, scoring twice during the midweek win over Rayo Vallecano.

Both were accomplished solo efforts and he’s up to nine goals from 27 starts this term during a productive loan spell. They had a touch of Riyad Mahrez about them, ball glued to his left foot while gliding in off the right flank.

Brazilian winger Savio has lit up La Liga while at Girona and is expected to join Manchester City in the summer

Brazilian winger Savio has lit up La Liga while at Girona and is expected to join Manchester City in the summer

He’s flourishing under Michel, the progressive coach whose admirers include Barcelona, and the Girona boss had an interesting line or two to say afterwards.

Michel suggested that he would be remaining at Girona next season – music to CFG ears – but also said the same of Savio. Whether the Brazilian is allowed to go there on loan again were both Girona and City to qualify for Europe remains to be seen, so it’s definitely one to watch.

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Post source: Daily mail

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