Manchester City will consider the right loan offer for Taylor Harwood-Bellis this month but will not be letting Eric Garcia leave the club.
Both youngsters have been asked to step into the first team this season with Vincent Kompany not replaced in summer and star defender Aymeric Laporte missing five months through injury.
Pep Guardiola has high hopes for the teenagers having been impressed with their application and attitude as well as their talent on the pitch. Garcia, who came on for Laporte at Sheffield United in midweek and made his first Premier League start last month, will remain with the first-team squad for the rest of the season as one of the centre-back options; the former Barcelona youngster has looked comfortable in a four- and five-man defence.
City's manager was not aware of any inquiries for Harwood-Bellis but said he would consider the right option. While there are many potential pitfalls with a loan deal, the Premier League 2 where the Under-23 teams play each other is not fit for purpose according to Guardiola.
"Eric Garcia is not going to move, it's impossible," he said. "We didn't speak about Harwood-Bellis but I think he is going to stay until the end of the season because maybe we need him for the second team. I don't know if he has offers - if there is an offer from a Premier League team maybe we would consider that for his development as a player but I don't have information about that.
"The best moves for the big players in the second team is going to as high a team as possible, so the Premier League is better than the Championship, for instance. The physicality is normal in these competitions, playing against guys who are 26 or 27 are physically stronger because ours are still kids. That is normal.
"The problem with the second team is the competitions they play for itself. It is not consistent to their development. It could be better but it is what it is. Each player has a different perspective and approach."
