PFA Young Player O'Reilly targets next level after City's domestic cup double

Nico O’Reilly claimed the PFA Young Player of the Year award on Tuesday, capping a 2025-26 season in which the 21-year-old helped Manchester City secure a domestic cup double and featured in England’s run to third place at the World Cup.

Speaking after collecting the honour, O’Reilly made clear his ambitions are far from satisfied. “Hopefully bigger and better things. I want to go to the next step in my game, I want to go to the next level,” he said. “I want goals, I want assists, I want to keep playing for my country, and I want to win trophies.”

O’Reilly’s rise has been rapid and, by his own admission, unexpected. Though he came through City’s academy as an attacking midfielder, his first sustained run in the senior side came at left-back. “It all just happened so quick. The chances came, I had a bit of luck and I took those chances. It was an amazing season, one I’m very proud of,” he said.

Having developed under Pep Guardiola, O’Reilly is now adjusting to new City head coach Enzo Maresca and offered an encouraging early assessment of the transition. “Pep was at the club for 10 years. He did such a good job and he was an amazing manager — it was so good to learn stuff from him,” O’Reilly said. “Enzo’s come in and he’s been very positive. The sessions have been very intense. He’s very demanding, very passionate and he’s a very, very good manager.”

O’Reilly started City’s opening fixture of the new season on Sunday as Maresca’s side came from behind to win 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium. City’s next assignment takes them to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Friday, before a home game against newly promoted Coventry City the following weekend. The first Manchester derby of the season is scheduled for 13 September at Old Trafford.