Man City starlet Doyle in line for Championship move after Bundesliga adventure

Manchester City youngster Tommy Doyle has been linked with a New Year loan move to the Championship.

The 20-year-old has spent the first half of this season on loan at German second division side Hamburg.

He's featured just seven times and has yet to start a single game for the club. German outlet BILD have suggested an 'early return' to City has not been ruled out.

That has led to suggestions City could recall him early and send him out to a second tier club here.

Swansea City are one of the teams linked with a January swoop.

Doyle is of course from a successful family of footballers. His grandfathers Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe were both former professional footballers and were teammates at City for more than a decade.

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Speaking previously about whether that weighed heavily on his shoulders, the youngster said: "I don't see it as a pressure because I am so proud of what they have done for this club.

"It is not an easy thing to do to go out and play games, especially the amount of games both my grandad's played.

"For me, having the Doyle and Pardoe in me, it is something that will never put pressure on me.

"It is something I am just so proud of and something I believe will almost be correct for me to bring on their legacy. It is the right thing to do.

"It is something they worked so hard for. It is something I have worked so hard for. Both of them, more so my grandad Glyn, have been a part of getting me where I am today."

Doyle is under contract at the Etihad until 2025 having signed a fresh, long-term deal last year with the club he has been at since the age of eight.

Hamburg are currently third in the 2. Bundesliga and Doyle's lack of activity has seen him an unused substitute for the last four matches.

Guardiola has given Doyle a clutch of senior run-outs in the past, with seven senior appearances under his belt.

His most recent appearance was in an FA Cup win over Swansea City back in February this year.

Speaking about his performance, Guardiola said: "He is a good player, it's not the first time playing in the games.

"He's a player with a special quality.

"He takes it, shoots. Another Man City fan. A historic family, the historic Doyle family. The minutes he plays, he plays good."