What's next for 'ridiculous' Nico O'Reilly, Man City's Wembley hero: Pep Guardiola's plans for him, why he's winning England left back race and what he's adding to his game in bid to become 'world-class'

Ridiculous is how Erling Haaland describes it, the development of Nico O’Reilly this season. ‘Actually ridiculous, incredible,’ to be precise.

Haaland, one quarter of Manchester City ’s leadership group these days, likes playing the big brother. He likes bigging up his team mates, giving them their flowers.

His reactions to O’Reilly’s two goals at Wembley were unbridled and later he would be telling inquisitors that the value of their academy lad from Collyhurst – Brian Kidd country, less than two miles from the Etihad – has risen by £100million this season.

O’Reilly was within earshot and grinned. His little sister, Nixie Bleu, is Haaland’s biggest fan. Her two favourite players have one thing in common this week: they’ve both been given it off to rest by their international managers.

Norway’s Stale Solbakken revealed on Monday morning that they were affording Haaland ‘special treatment’ for a ‘necessary break’ and he will join up for their second friendly against Switzerland. That heavily suggests managing fatigue, despite insistence that isn’t an issue by Haaland and Pep Guardiola , while O’Reilly’s week to himself is slightly different.

With Thomas Tuchel splitting the England camp in two, the auditions for fringe players up until facing Uruguay on Friday night, the inference is that anyone joining late ahead of Japan is currently a shoo-in for the States. O’Reilly is in that category with the likes of Declan Rice , Harry Kane , Elliot Anderson and Marc Guehi . Those four are certain starters by any metric on June 17 when Croatia lie in wait at the home of the Dallas Cowboys .

Nico O'Reilly won the League Cup for Manchester City with his rapid-fire double against Arsenal on Sunday

Erling Haaland says O'Reilly has added £100million to his value this season

O'Reilly is now a shoo-in to make the England squad and is perhaps even a starter

That Tuchel was present for the Carabao Cup final matters little, O’Reilly’s stock was already sky high. Sunday confirmed, not informed. The question is not whether he makes it on the plane for the World Cup, rather how England can squeeze the best out of a 21-year-old who has the brain required to flourish under Guardiola and the brawn to mix it with Arsenal.

Although central midfield is his best position, left back is the route into featuring consistently on the international stage. Luke Shaw has failed to tunnel a way back in despite now playing regularly for Manchester United, while other options are largely based on a capability of operating on either side. O’Reilly’s main competition, at this moment, is Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall and their attitudes are of an energetic, front-foot approach to the position.

It’s what Tuchel wants and evidenced in his first 20 minutes as manager this time last year. Myles Lewis-Skelly, an unused substitute on Sunday, scored the opening goal of Tuchel’s reign against Albania, crashing into the box late. That is exactly what O’Reilly offers. If the two headers against Arsenal aren’t proof enough, then look back to the double against Newcastle recently, albeit those coming from a midfield berth.

What has happened at left back with England over 12 months just goes to indicate the precarious nature of form and favour at the very highest level. O’Reilly had been becoming something of a fixture in Guardiola’s out-of-sorts City, the manager telling shocked coaches at the turn of 2025 that he had seen enough to convert him into a full back.

Meanwhile, Lewis-Skelly was in the box seat. The 19-year-old’s mum, Marcia, is previously claimed to have held 'X-Factor style auditions' with agents pitching for their business and going into great detail while progressing through different rounds, before eventually deciding to go it alone.

Arsenal are believed to be open to cashing in on Lewis-Skelly this summer – pure profit for academy products and all that, much like City's outlook on business – and there are some representatives keen to find out how that resolves itself in light of the family opting against outside expertise.

O’Reilly was snapped up by SEG, who also represent Guardiola, and he is seen as a pet project for the manager now. A left back, holding midfielder and attacking midfielder in his first full season in professional football – a striker for a year in the academy as well as playing left wing, scorer of halfway line goals and scorpion kicks – the options he gives City and England are endless.

And there is something he can offer that could fix a major headache for Tuchel going into America. Anderson and Rice are the undisputed midfield pairing.

Lewis Hall is his main rival for the starting left back spot for England - but O'Reilly has a big advantage over the Newcastle man

Myles Lewis-Skelly appeared to have a stranglehold on the spot - and scored the first goal of Thomas Tuchel's England reign - but the Arsenal man has fallen rapidly out of favour

O'Reilly is a tough man to shrug off the ball and has shown that he can hold his own in the physical battle of the Premier League

With that, major questions linger about the list of No 10s at their disposal: Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden (also available as a false nine), Morgan Rogers. Unless he narrows the pitch and ditches wingers, only one is starting and the answer to who that may be seems obvious, barring injury.

What the profile of O’Reilly can do is mitigate that issue. He can go and join in in the area behind Kane, using that diagonal angle from deep to attack the box with vigour.

His ability in small spaces is top, even by the lofty standards of City’s academy, and he is a struggle to knock off the ball. He can overload that midfield area for England as he does for Guardiola.

Anderson and Rice should comfortably cover that vacated space behind them and O’Reilly’s engine will be able to cope with the searing heat of the American summer. Altering positions is accelerating his learning against the very best.

‘It can be tough, I can have the games where I’m a bit off it as you’ve seen in the first 20 minutes away against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu,’ he said.

‘I got caught out in behind a few times so it is hard to keep switching but to be a world-class player – which I’m trying to aspire to be – you need to be able to switch to different positions and adapt so it’s a good attribute to have.’

O’Reilly hit upon something there, referencing being caught out for Federico Valverde’s first. Defensively there are moments of indecision and City are working hard to improve that side of his game.

Even when winning man of the match in the group phase victory at the Bernabeu in December, he was occasionally in bother. That said, the way he pocketed Bukayo Saka at Wembley was exemplary.

O'Reilly dealt with Bukayo Saka (left) expertly in defence and then popped up in the box twice to score the crucal goals for City

This is a player with growing experience on the biggest stages, having won man of the match in City's victory at Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase

O’Reilly was snapped up by SEG, who also represent Pep Guardiola, and he is seen as a pet project for the manager now

Some defensive inconsistency is to be expected. New job, new function, fledgling career. What he gives City and England outweighs those issues at the moment.

They are even noticing over the red side of Manchester, the son of Nobby Stiles compelled to tweet appreciation on Sunday night.

‘Dad always loved United but as a kid one week he’d watch United, the next he’d go to City with his pal,’ John Stiles wrote. ‘He loved Bert Trautmann. I know he’d be so proud of Nico O’Reilly, a St Pat’s (school) lad like him and Brian Kidd. Well done Nico.’

If it’s good enough for the family of a World Cup winner, then the omens appear strong.