City was the only place for me says Mikki
NEW City goalkeeper Mikki van Sas has revealed his reasons for joining City after being lined up by Dutch giants Ajax.
The 16-year-old seemed set to join the Amsterdam outfit from FC Utrecht, but then signed for the Blues, amid great criticism in Holland.
The snipers claimed he was wasting his career by joining City, as so many young foreign players had failed to make the grade at the Etihad.
But Van Sas, who will play with the under-18s next season, backed his own ability to make the breakthrough at the Blues.
And he said that, while it was not an easy decision to move to Manchester, the club sold him a vision of his future.
“These were difficult choices, he said. “It even haunted me to stay with Utrecht.
“It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go to Ajax, I just wanted to go to Manchester City. They had mapped out the best plan for me.”
Van Sas even had a dig back at the critics, referring to the hook-up which City have with Dutch side NAC Breda, who have taken several City youngsters on loan in recent seasons.
“Well, see you at NAC in three years! Pretty funny, right?” he said.
The success of Phil Foden and Eric Garcia in making the breakthrough to the first-team squad on a permanent basis, and the achievement of his fellow Dutchman, flying winger Jayden Braaf - who is also expected to get his chance in the near future have encouraged Van Sas he has made the right move. He also pointed at the way City helped Hertha Berlin winger Javairo Dilrosun develop into a Holland international, and the part Arsenal played in making Donyell Malen a success for PSV Eindhoven
“Many boys who have gone to England in recent years have not diminished,” he said. “Look at Dilrosun or Donyell Malen. And Jayden Braaf has just been voted Manchester City under-23 Player of the Year and is already training with the firsts.
“If it turns out that I am good enough, I will be transferred to the Under-23s.”