Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany is a "big fan" of Oscar Bobb and is delighted to see the youngster edging closer to a first-team return after being "robbed of a year" due to injury.
The 21-year-old was one of Man City's standout performers during their pre-season tour of the United States last summer and played the full 90 minutes in their Community Shield triumph over rivals Manchester United back in August.
Bobb was tipped to start for the Citizens in their opening Premier League game of the season away against Chelsea, but the Norway international suffered a fracture to a bone in his leg during a non-contact situation in training just days earlier and at the time was ruled out for up to four months.
The versatile attacker made a welcome return to team training at the beginning of this year before suffering a setback in his recovery after picking up an ankle problem, but he is now on the cusp of making his comeback for Pep Guardiola's side.
Bobb played for just over 60 minutes for City's Elite Development squad in a 3-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace in Premier League 2 last weekend, starting his first competitive match after around seven months on the sidelined.
Guardiola is hopeful that Bobb will return after the international break and McInerney has heaped praise on the highly-rated youngster ahead of his much-anticipated first-team comeback, suggesting that City's turbulent season could have 'panned out differently' if the attacker had been available.
"Oscar Bobb is a fantastic footballer"
"I'm a big fan of Oscar Bobb. I think he's incredibly naturally talented," McInerney told Sports Mole. "Good physique too, good strong shoulders, reasonably tall, he's a good size, electric pace from a standing position, his acceleration is ridiculous, good with both feet, a great finisher, distinctively brilliant. He can play as an eight, as a 10, left-winger, right-winger, as a false nine. Oscar Bobb is a fantastic footballer.
"I actually feel like this season would have been a different season, to an extent, with Oscar Bobb available. If Oscar Bobb and Rodri were available, I just think the season pans out differently.
"I know that sounds an awful lot for a guy who hasn't played much (senior) football, but sometimes you sense momentum in football and there was a real groundswell of support for Oscar Bobb [after] pre-season and the Community Shield.
"It felt like he was about to have his moment and Guardiola pretty much indicated that as well. He was very praiseworthy at the start of the season of his dynamism, of his ability, his magnificent technique in tight spaces, and you have to have that when you play for City as a forward.
"City have always thrived under great technicians and Guardiola loves intricate players. When you haven't got 20 yards of space around you, when you've got three or four yards of space and two people around you, if you can still create something and do something wonderfully, then you're an absolute godsend for Manchester City and I think Oscar Bobb very much fits into that category.
"I think if he was fit this season, he would have had so many starts by now, probably loads of goals and I actually think he would have been a bit of a breakout star. I think he was ready to explode and unfortunately the injury has held him back.
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Is there still time for Bobb to make an impact at Man City this season?
McInerney added: "He could have a real impact on this season, because he's a different option to Savinho or [Jeremy] Doku [out wide] and I think competition breeds success, it really does.
"City have got a lot of players these days, but Bernardo Silva has not been as effective on the right wing as he was a year or two ago, and [Riyad] Mahrez left a year or two ago as well. On the right, it's only really Savinho.
"[Phil] Foden's not really a winger as such. He can play [on the right], but he drifts centrally. Doku doesn't seem to play on the right much for Man City, so Oscar Bobb would really be the obvious competition for Savinho there and I think he would get game time.
"Bobb brings a very different approach to the wide role. I would say he's more of a playmaker, whereas Doku and Savinho are dribblers, the classic wingers in modern football.
"I just want to see the signs of Oscar Bobb being himself. He's been robbed of a year really (because of injury) but we've got a lot to play for this season, he could still have a massive impact, especially with the Club World Cup coming too."
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"Wonderful footballer" Bobb "could go to the very, very top"
At a time when Man City are in a period of transition, with a much-needed squad rebuild planned for the summer, McInerney believed that Bobb could 'nail down' a regular starting spot in the near future and has the potential to develop into a "world-class footballer".
"I really do believe in his potential," said McInerney. "I watched him for years and I've always felt he was destined for the first team because there's so much ability. I do think Oscar Bobb could nail himself down as a starter.
"While City are in this state of flux right now and everything's changing and hopefully moving forward, anyone can make a claim for a starting spot, because I don't think many people have their role locked down these days.
"I think he's a wonderful footballer with such a unique skill set. He's such an electric dribbler. He has that 'pauser' in which he knows how to slow the game down. He's a really good finisher. If he had those chances Savinho had against Brighton, I think he scores one of them. He's much more comfortable finishing from that angle.
"That's not to say he's a better player, obviously Oscar Bobb hasn't got the experience Savinho has in professional football - Savinho of course was excellent in La Liga last year for Girona and has played 30 games for City as well - but I really do rate Bobb highly.
"I think he could go to the very, very top and I think he could be a world-class footballer one day with a little bit of patience."
Press play on the video at the top of this article to hear the full discussion.
Oliver Thomas
