Samcheok: The eastern South Korean city of Samcheok and Premier League giants Manchester City announced Thursday they have reached an agreement aimed at enhancing youth football development and coach education.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the partnership deal marks Manchester City's first collaboration in South Korea. Samcheok, located in the southernmost part of Gangwon Province on the east coast, will host Manchester City's coaches twice a year to run youth football programs and train local coaches. The first program is scheduled for September.
As part of this initiative, select young players from Samcheok will have the opportunity to travel to Manchester and train with the 10-time Premier League champions. Samcheok has committed to providing full support for the development of young players and local coaches, as well as expanding the city's football infrastructure.
Samcheok Mayor Park Sang-soo expressed satisfaction with the agreement, stating, "I am very pleased to have laid the foundation for our young players to develop as they receive structured training from one of the world's leading clubs." He added that the cooperation aims to turn Samcheok into a major four-season sports destination on the east coast.
In a statement, Manchester City emphasized that the short-term programs will focus on "technical skill development, tactical awareness, and personal growth" for young players. The club views this initial collaboration as a stepping stone toward a long-term relationship aimed at strengthening football development in the region.
Manchester City has been one of the world's most successful clubs since Abu Dhabi United Group's takeover in 2008. In the 2018-2019 season, they became the first English men's club to complete a domestic treble by winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the English Football League Cup. They secured four consecutive league titles from 2021 to 2024 and claimed their first UEFA Champions League title in 2023, completing a European treble that season.