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When Manchester City wanted their bridge at the Etihad Campus to symbolise the path between academy and first team, the best thing they did was build a bend into it.

The fact that progression from the youth system is not far from straightforward is not lost on George Evans.

A lifelong Blue, the young midfielder was on the first team bench as early as 2012, picked by Roberto Mancini for glamour ties with Ajax and Dortmund as well as two Premier League games.

Now 20, Evans is still awaiting his senior debut. Yet the fact he is still at the club he joined at the age of six when so much around him has transformed says a lot for how he is valued.

"I've been through every age group at City," Evans told M.E.N Sport.

"I've been here since the age of six and I got told the other day that if I come through to the first team and make my debut I'll have come through every age group and be the first one.

"All the way through Platt Lane and the academy to what it has become now is fantastic to see and it's a great opportunity for everyone.

"There's a lot of superstars here now and it is definitely a lot more difficult but I still believe that if you keep working hard and you're good enough then I think the manager will give you a chance, as he has shown this season."

That Evans has not been called upon by Manuel Pellegrini shows the standard of City's young talents, although the Cheadle-born player has been hard at work on his game.

Six months were spent at League One side Crewe - which the 20-year-old credits with helping him develop physically - and is learning from the City first team.

"The loan system is very good for players," he said.

"I will speak again to City and if they want me to go on loan again I'm more than happy to do that but obviously being here there is nowhere in that world that could probably develop you as a better player. You've got everything you could possibly want.

"It's fantastic when you play alongside the likes of Yaya Toure, David Silva, Aguero, Milner. They are all massive names in there and it is a great learning curve for a young lad as well.

"There is an awe because you're playing against a team that you support and it's players that are out of this world. They are world class players and it is just great."

If Evans is testing himself against top class players in training, he is also being coached by one in Patrick Vieira, who is introducing the player to a more defensive role this season.

"Patrick is fantastic, he's done absolutely everything in the game.

"Each day just listening to him and learning from what he has got to say you just listen and it is a great development for such a young player to learn from someone who has won the World Cup!

"For me personally I prefer the midfield role as you can get on the ball a bit more but I'm willing to play centre-half as well. It's good to learn two different positions."

Vieira has spoken of introducing challenges to his young players, and the club have helped ahead of Sunday's Premier League International Cup game with Schalke.

The offer of free tickets for anyone with a season card of ticket for the Arsenal game has ensured that Evans and the U21s will walk out for their U21 match with a 5,000 strong crowd at the Academy Stadium.

"It is good when there's that big crowd," Evans added. "It adds that bit more pressure to it and makes it more realistic to what you will come up with when you're playing with the first team.

"I think with the new stadium it is going to help a lot of fans come in and it will be great for young players coming through to play in front of crowds like that. I think you prepare yourself a bit more mentally and physically for the challenge."

The premise of matchday double headers would be another way to connect academy to first team as it gives fans more of an opportunity to see the emerging talent.

More important will be when young players start getting opportunities in first team competitions; you suspect supporters would enjoy it all the more if the next starlet given a chance has been made in Manchester.