Manchester City continue to search for new signings to strengthen their squad - but can still refresh their senior options by promoting a number of young players next season.

Among the best academy players who could step up is the South Yorkshire defender who models himself on John Stones, a street footballer with a Champions League debut goal to his name, and a full international who is yet to make his club debut.

City may not be as active as they usually are in the transfer market this summer for various reasons, and with most of their players away at the Euros or Copa America, pre-season will see plenty of academy faces given a chance to impress Pep Guardiola.

Most will be familiar to Guardiola, who used the academy to boost numbers last season as well as handing out three debuts. Micah Hamilton scored on debut in the Champions League at Red Star, with defensive midfielder Mahamadou Susoho also coming off the bench in Belgrade.

Jacob Wright made his debut a few weeks later in the FA Cup, while Max Alleyne has also been on the bench for the first team.

Alleyne was mightily close to making his debut that night in Serbia, but with Red Star launching a late comeback attempt, Guardiola kept him on the bench to defend the three points, later admitting his regret at not being able to make the substitution.

The centre-back was injured for the second half of last season but is highly thought of by coaches within the first-team building and academy. He travelled with the first team for the Club World Cup to get valuable experience and could get a call-up in pre-season and beyond to cover centre-back.

Other centre-back options include FA Youth Cup captain Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and versatile defender Lakyle Samuel, who could both get pre-season calls. Maybe the centre-back to watch the most could be Doncaster-born Kian Noble, who caught the eye with an impressive end to the season and starring role in the Youth Cup final.

Noble moulds himself on City's John Stones, and it was his defence-splitting ball from the halfway line that forced the opening goal in the Youth Cup final. He trained with England's senior squad in March when Gareth Southgate needed an extra body and Noble was suspended for the under-17s.

Noble would have had a Youth Cup final goal had the impressive Stephen Mfuni not poked in his goalbound header. A confident, likeable character, Noble's coaches joke he has the mentality of a 30-year-old veteran, and his modern playing style makes him one to watch over the next 12 months.

With Sergio Gomez at the Olympics, City will need a left-back to cover Josko Gvardiol, so step forward Tomas Galvez - the London-born Finland international with three full caps for his country before a club debut. Galvez describes himself as a traditional wide full-back, a possible switch from the inverted players City have favoured recently. That unique skill set in the squad could play to his advantage this term.

Into midfield, and Susoho could have a chance this summer to get some valuable minutes at defensive midfield with Rodri at the Euros. Susoho is a regular in senior training and the occasional matchday squad, and has a similar background to his manager - hailing from Catalonia and playing in the same position.

Similarly, fellow debutant Wright saw his season ended by injury but built on his earlier progress with a Youth Cup semi-final winner in the last minute and will be looking to kick on next term.

Even Wright's own coaches didn't predict his rise to first-team contention last season, but he did enough to catch Guardiola's eye in training and never looked back. Like Susoho, there is an opening this summer to impress Guardiola with Rodri and other senior midfielders absent.

And in attack, while there will be the likes of Jack Grealish, Oscar Bobb and Erling Haaland on tour, there will be game-time available for the likes of Hamilton - who found himself in limbo this year between the struggling EDS team and the first team.

He is an exciting player described as a 'street footballer' by his under-21 manager Brian Barry-Murphy and showed his raw ability in the Champions League.

Tricky winger Joel Ndala and attacker Justin Oboavwoduo should get their chance this summer, having won the Youth Cup and also trained with the senior squad in Saudi Arabia.

It would take a Rico Lewis-style impact for any of these players to become viable first-team options next season, but there is certainly a pathway to show Guardiola how the academy can support on the fringes - perhaps saving City millions in strengthening their squad in the transfer market.