Rabbi Matondo lifts lid on Leroy Sane advice after realising he had to leave Man City

Manchester United transfer target Rabbi Matondo has spoken to MEN Sport about his time at Man City.

It was a tough decision for Rabbi Matondo when he received an offer to move to FC Schalke on January transfer deadline day last year.

The Welsh winger had impressed for the youth team at Manchester City all season and was expected to soon make his senior debut having been selected by Pep Guardiola for the pre-season tour in 2018.

With many first-team stars away on World Cup duty City turned to Matondo as part of the makeshift squad, and it was an opportunity which changed his life forever.

City fans had been left outraged by Germany's decision to snub Leroy Sane from their squad in Russia that summer, and while Joachim Löw paid the price with a group stage exit it was Matondo who benefited when he struck up a close friendship with the first-team star.

Sane was one of the many talented players ahead of Matondo in the first team at City, who despite shining at youth level throughout his spell at the CFA never made a first-team appearance. Even though Matondo didn't feature on the pre-season tour the 19-year-old often trained with the first team and had netted six goals in 11 appearances for City's Under-21 side during his final half season in Manchester, that is when Schalke came calling.

Cardiff-born Matondo had already made his senior debut for the Welsh national side under Ryan Giggs, and understandably felt he deserved a chance to prove himself with meaningful minutes in the first team. It was a tough decision to make, but after speaking with those closest to him the opportunity to emulate close friend Jadon Sancho and move to Germany was one he couldn't resist.

"I mean obviously I believe in myself and that season when I did leave I felt I was in good form in terms of what I was doing for the youth team," Matondo told MEN Sport.

"I thought I was probably in the top three youngsters but knew I had world class players in front of me in Sane, (Raheem) Sterling, (Riyad) Mahrez and Bernardo (Silva) so the path to breaking through looked very difficult and I had to make a decision. 

"I went on the pre-season tour to the USA which was an amazing experience with top players and understanding the way Pep works makes you want more opportunities to be involved.

"Obviously if I had got the opportunity at City then unbelievable, but I felt I already had my mind made up that it might be better to move. I thought it might be the right time to leave and I think it has been good for me."

Part of Guardiola's immense success at City is down to his huge respect for domestic cup competitions, and while it means supporters can rightfully dream of a Wembley final every season, the strong squad selections often suffocate first-team opportunities for promising youngsters at the club.

It's something Matondo knows all too well about but he was keen to make a name for himself abroad.

"Obviously the goal was to make it at City and the time I spent there really improved me as a player, playing in the UEFA Youth league was a massive highlight but there comes a time in every player’s career you have to decide what’s best for you in terms of playing first-team," he added.

Matondo's £11.3m move to Schalke, the highest fee ever paid for a player yet to make their senior debut, was finalised on deadline day last year as he left his close knit friends and family to embark on an adventure in the Bundesliga.

The winger's reward has been senior football with a platform to attract interest from Manchester United ahead of the summer window, and Matondo thinks his maturity has been key in his transformation.

He added: "I am more mature. I have moved away without my family, even though I've moved away before it wasn't the same. I have never lived abroad, so this was a totally different experience for me and the club helped me a lot settling in, playing men's football and adapting to the league was a big step up, your playing against superstars in packed stadiums every week.

"I know there is a lot more to come from so I am working hard to improve both on the pitch and away from the club with my own chef and personal trainer.

"I am happy in Germany, I'm happy with the way I'm getting treated. Now it is just down to me to produce on the pitch."

Matondo left City on good terms last year, fully edcuated in the intense style of play which they require, and he was highly regarded among senior pros at the Etihad. Sane remains a good friend, and the former Schalke winger was there to help the youngster when he moved to the Arena AufSchalke.

The Wales international continued: "When I actually did move, that's when we did speak and he gave me advice on how to go about things, the culture and stuff like that.

"I knew a lot about Schalke, obviously at City there was Leroy Sane who came from Schalke and I knew Matija Nastasic who played at City. I remember them from the Champions League, and watching one game where they played against Real Madrid. I knew of Schalke, and obviously playing FIFA a lot you know the teams. I knew they were a big club."

Focus has been amplified on Matondo as the German Bundesliga became the first major football league in Europe to resume earlier in the month, and it is a spotlight the 19-year-old is relishing ahead of next summer.

Matondo had hoped to be representing Wales in the European Championship later this year, and while the postponement is disappointing, he acknowledges the year delay could benefit him with an enhanced role to play next summer.

He continued: "It is a negative for everyone that the Euros are postponed, we want to play it now because the team had momentum. But I feel it might help us a bit. We're young, we have another year to improve and kick on.

"Obviously for a player like David Brooks he was injured for the whole season, and now he is back fit now he has got the whole year to get ready for the Euros. I look forward to next year and hopefully I can kick on and play every game now rather than just now and then. I have to give my all, and hopefully be more of a starter than a squad player."