Karim Rekik has a golden opportunity to grab a place in City’s first team squad next season.

The 19-year-old centre back is training with the Blues squad at their St Andrew’s base, after a season on loan at PSV Eindhoven.

He has returned to the club with a reputation enhanced by a solid season in the Eredivisie.

Indeed, the youngster impressed enough last season to be included in Louis van Gaal’s provisional squad for the World Cup finals, although he did not make the final cut for the 23-man squad on the plane to Brazil.

City have not yet decided how they progress with Rekik, who became the youngest overseas player in their history as a 16-year-old substitute in a League Cup tie against Birmingham in 2011.

PSV are desperate to take him back on another season-long loan – indeed, they have stalled their defensive planning until they get an answer from the Blues on his future.

PSV football director Marcel Brands said: “We are waiting for him. Karim is our first option – he knows our club and the way of playing so that’s an advantage.”

Rekik has already expressed a willingness to return for another year at PSV after making 25 appearances for them.

But he is also wanted by Marseille, and other French and Dutch clubs, so the options are many.

But an opening may yet open at City, with Matija Nastasic on the short-list of players the club is prepared to release as they wrestle with squad restrictions for both the Premier League and Champions League.

Nastasic, Javi Garcia and Alvaro Negredo, would be sold if a reasonable offer comes in – as long as they complete the £30m signing of Eliaquim Mangala.

That would leave the Blues with three central defenders, and manager Manuel Pellegrini wants four. Rekik qualifies as an under-21 player, but will also be designated as home-grown in the future.

He has been handed the squad number 19 during the season. He was number 44 two seasons ago, and was not given a number last summer as the loan to PSV was already settled.

He needs a number as he was involved in the friendly meeting with Dundee on Sunday, and is in the squad for today’s game at Hearts.

And the fact Scott Sinclair, who – barring a miraculous resurrection – has no future with the club, has been given the number 12, qualifies Rekik’s numerical “promotion”.

The fact is City are still mulling over the best course of action for the player and insist it will be a football decision.

Rekik has two years left on his current City deal, and this could be his opportunity to claim a place in the squad. He will already be looking over his shoulder, as Belgium Under-19 international Jason Denayer is also in Scotland and seeking to impress.

Denayer’s ambitions for the coming season were laid bare last week, when he said: “I would like to train as much as possible with the first team this season and why not play one or two cup matches?”

There is also 23-year-old Dedryck Boyata, the last remnant of City’s 2008 FA Youth Cup-winning team after Alex Nimely was released on a free transfer last month.

Boyata was on the fringes of the first team squad last season, making one league appearance and playing a handful of cup games – and this summer could be his last chance to stake a claim.

Whether he can recapture the early promise that saw him catapulted into Roberto Mancini’s first team and being named Young Player of the Year in 2010, remains to be seen.

Boyata has two years left on his contract, and as a home-grown player has been a useful stop-gap but he also faces tough decisions as to where his future lies.