Forgotten Man City player signed in 2019 still hasn't played a game for the club

Forgotten Manchester City striker Slobodan Tedic is still yet to make an appearance for Pep Guardiola's side, despite joining the club in 2020.

City have arguably the most stacked squad in the world when it comes to attackers, with fans treated to goalscoring masterclasses on a weekly basis.

The genius of Guardiola is a huge factor in that but City's recruitment team must take huge credit also.

When it comes to offensive players, City rarely sign any duds. However, as is the case at all clubs, there are some who fall through the cracks. Tedic is certainly one of them.

The Montenegrin-born Serbian striker became a City player in January 2020 aged 19, with the Blues reportedly giving Serbian club FK Cukaricki around 3 million euros after agreeing a deal during the previous year.

Nenad Mirosavljevic, football director at the Belgrade club, said at the time that City had been scouting Tedic extensively.

"He’s been on City’s radar for a long time, with scouts often coming to see him," he said.

"There have been game where we didn’t even know they were in the stands. They watched all of his games, his every move, which is quite normal for the world’s biggest clubs.

"When they officially contacted us, we easily and quickly agreed. This is a confirmation of our good work, but also the best possible marketing for Cukaricki, and for Serbian football in general."

After spending the remainder of the 2019/20 season at the Serbian club, Tedic spent two years on loan at Dutch side PEC Zwolle.

Last season he travelled across the Pennines to help Barnsley's (ultimately unsuccessful) bid for promotion to League One and this season he has stayed in the third tier with Charlton Athletic.

Slobodan Tedic has never appeared for City. (Image: Getty)

Now 23, Tedic's City contract is set to expire at the end of the current campaign. However, the Serbia youth international still believes he can play at the highest level.

"I want to reach the top," he told the Barnsley Chronicle in May. He was speaking ahead of the League One play-off final, a match Barnsley would lose 1-0 to Sheffield Wednesday.

"This is great for experience. There are not too many times you get to play at Wembley and everyone is looking forward to that.

"I am focused for this game and after that I will go to Holland and start pre-season at Man City.

"I am happy because they are one of the biggest clubs in the world."

You've got to admire Tedic's ambition but it seems unlikely that he will ever have a role in Guardiola's treble-winning team.

Topics: Manchester City, Manchester City Transfer News & Rumours, Pep Guardiola, Charlton Athletic, Serbia, Premier League

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a Sports Trends Writer at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He enjoys running, cooking and watching non-league football.

@alex_brotherton