City academy midfielder Charlie Holt, 17, leaves for Cardiff U21s

📰 Manchester City's 17-year-old academy midfielder Charlie Holt has left for Cardiff City's under-21s. 📌 Key points ✍️ Central midfielder Holt, 17, has joined Cardiff permanently. 🎓 He spent his entire academy career at City. 🏆 He played 12 times for City's under-18 title winners last season. 🚪 British media called him the first player to leave City since the verdict. 💷 No fee was disclosed. 📝 What happened ✍️ According to BBC Sport, Burnley-born central midfielder Holt has left City to join Cardiff's under-21s. He had spent recent weeks training with Cardiff's under-21s and first team. 🎓 Holt spent his whole academy career at City and signed a scholarship there in summer 2025. Last season he made 12 appearances for the under-18s as they won the Premier League North. 🗣️ "The opportunities that you can get here at Cardiff City are clear to see. It's a great place to be," Holt said. "I'm an energetic player with technical ability on the ball. Hopefully, I can chip in with a few goals as well." 🔗 Cardiff manager Brian Barry-Murphy and assistant Lee Riley both have previous Manchester City connections and are said to have been instrumental in the deal. 📊 By the numbers • Age: 17 • City under-18 appearances last season: 12 • City found guilty: 114 of 115 charges 🔭 Why it matters He is not a first-team player, but as the first departure since the verdict, the move drew attention in the British press. The BBC had already reported that rival clubs were targeting City's youngsters amid the fallout, so whether more academy players follow is worth watching. City's first team travel to Liverpool on 11 October.