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Watford manager Ed Still has praised Manchester City loanee Stephen Mfuni, stating that his potential is “whatever he wants it to be”.
The 18-year-old signed his first professional contract at Manchester City in August 2025 alongside 12 fellow academy teammate, including Ryan McAidoo and Charlie Courtman, before moving to the outskirts of London
Since his loan away from the Etihad Stadium, which runs until the end of the season, Mfuni has made five appearances for Watford in what has been a fruitful first impression from the English centre-back, who can also operate on the left side of defence.
Mfuni is a physically and aerially strong talent, who has the potential to reach unprecedented heights in his career, not least because of the experience he has gained over a decade of football at City having joined the club at the age of eight.
The 18-year-old is yet to make his senior Premier League debut but has already been described as a key defender after establishing himself as a sensational talent at Watford, which ascribes the standards set in the City youth system.
After working with two previous City defenders in Abdoukodir Khusanov and Juma Bah, Watford boss Ed Still believes that the sky is the limit for Mfuni.
“He’s fantastic,” Still said on the Manchester City loanee in a recent interview with the Watford Observer. “He’s the third Manchester City defender I’ve had the chance to work with. We had Abdukodir Khusanov at Lens last season and then Juma Bah, who’s a CFG (City Football Group) player at Nice currently.
“In terms of potential, he (Mfuni) is right up there. That’s stating the obvious. Everybody who was at the Vic (Vicarage Road) on Tuesday saw again what a good player he already is and he’s only 18. To be honest, I think his ceiling is whatever he wants it to be, as simple as that.
“If he keeps his feet firmly on the ground – which so far he has done – and keeps his focus on the pitch, makes sure his body is in tip-top shape, then he’ll decide how far he goes.”
Mfuni has made light work of what is sometimes a difficult transition for players to successfully surpass and although City will want to take the full credit for that progress, the defender has revealed that one senior Watford star has proven to be a huge help in his bid to make a consistent first-team impact.
“James Abankwah is one of the people I speak to a lot and I’ve learnt a lot from him because he has been through what I’ve been through. It’s god to see things from his point of view,” Mfuni said in conversation with official Watford media.
“The game is completely different to academy football. It’s a great learning experience and I’m taking on board everything from every player and member of staff.”
Executives at the Etihad Stadium and Manchester City academy staff will be delighted with Mfuni’s seamless integration to life at Vicarage Road as they keep a close eye on their academy star between now and the end of the season.