Work permit blow for City youngster

PROMISING City striker Enes Unal has revealed he cannot link up with the Blues next season … because he still does not qualify for a work permit.

The 19-year-old Turkish striker has been a big hit playing on loan for FC Twente in Holland, scoring 17 goals in 29 appearances this season.

That has attracted the interest of Dutch giants Ajax and PSV Eindhoven and, reportedly, has led Lazio to make enquiries about his availability, after he was dubbed ‘the Turkish Cavani’.

But Unal, who joined City nearly two years ago for a fee of around £2m, does not meet strict Home Office guidelines which are aimed at preventing non-EU players from flooding English leagues.

He said: “Because I have not played at least 70 per cent of my country’s games in the last two years, I do not get any work permit in England.”

Unal actually only has to play 60 per cent of Turkey’s matches to qualify for a permit, as it depends on a country’s Fifa ranking, but he still does not meet the criteria.

He has five caps, including appearances in both games in the last international break, but he will have to go out on loan again.

“It will be difficult to keep him,” said Twente technical director Jan van Halst. “The problem is that we do not take the lead in this case. The ball is in Manchester City’s court, and we have no idea what they are going to do with him.”

Twente are also resigned to losing another City youngster in Yaw Yeboah, and are unsure what the Blues will do with Bersant Celina, who also done well for them.