text: Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has confessed his academy players are not ready to step into his first-team squad, hinting that City may look to cherry-pick the best youngsters from their top-flight rivals. In the week that Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling spoke about his unwillingness to agree a new contract at Anfield, Pellegrini’s comments suggest that City may look to invest heavily in other teams’ homegrown talent this summer. Premier League regulations require clubs to carry at least eight homegrown players, which can include youngsters who have spent three of their formative years at an English club. FA chairman Greg Dyke is pushing for the figure to be raised to 12. Manuel Pellegrini says the academy players at Manchester City are not ready for the first team . Pellegrini's assertions may mean City buy English players like Raheem Sterling to reach homegrown quotas . Everton's England international midfield player Ross Barkley has also been linked with City . But the lack of suitable candidates emerging from Patrick Vieira’s academy means City’s only option will be to buy in the bulk of their quota, with the defending league champions also linked with Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere and Ross Barkley of Everton. City’s current group of home-grown players will be reduced in the summer when Frank Lampard departs and it could be further depleted if James Milner, who wants guarantees of more regular first-team football, opts to leave. Coincidentally, Liverpool is Milner’s most likely destination should he leave but the prospect of Sterling moving in the opposite direction has been increased to the point that bookmakers rate City his most likely destination next season. City’s youth system has come under fire in recent seasons for its lack of productivity. Belgian defender Dedryck Boyata, who has started nine league games in nearly six years at City, is the only former academy player anywhere near first-team contention. Pellegrini said: ‘We must be patient with the academy. Young players are important. Maybe it’s not so easy for young players, especially at big clubs, to play in the first team, with the professional squad. But I’m sure in the future we will have very important players coming from the academy. James Milner could leave City in the summer with Liverpool a potential destination . Arsenal midfield player Jack Wilshere has also been linked with a transfer to City . Defender Dedryck Boyata (right) is City's only academy player near first-team contention . ‘But it’s important to have years of working the same way. But you never know. Maybe some talented young players can do it soon.’ Sterling would fit the bill, if his impasse at Liverpool proves unsolvable, although Pellegrini refused to comment directly about the Liverpool and England forward. Pellegrini said: ‘I think it’s important for big clubs to bring in the best players, that’s the most important thing. If they’re all good players, of course I agree with the quota. All the big leagues — especially the Premier League — need the best players to play.’ City’s homegrown quota is made up of Boyata, Lampard, Milner, Joe Hart, reserve keeper Richard Wright and Gael Clichy, who qualifies from his years spent with Arsenal. They are joined by four academy players — Thierry Ambrose, George Glendon, Jose Angel Tasende and Jose Angel Pozo, although Spaniard Pozo is the only one to have been near the first team this season. A number of young City professionals, including John Guidetti at Celtic, PSV’s Karim Rekik and Marcos Lopes with Lille, are on loan and may be brought back to plug some of the holes next season, although a big investment in English talent via the transfer market seems the only option. Frank Lampard helps make up City's homegrown quota but is leaving for New York at the end of the season . Patrick Vieira is overseeing the City academy's production of youth and homegrown players . Striker John Guidetti is on loan at Celtic but could return to meet quota regulations next season . Meanwhile, Pellegrini is not in action until Monday, when he takes his team to Crystal Palace, and with Chelsea in an apparently commanding lead at the top, the City manager admits his side face eight cup finals. He said: ‘I hope we can do it. We have to play eight finals from now until the end. We will see the way we play. I hope the way we finish against West Brom is the way we must continue. ‘It is not easy to make a clear analysis because they play with one player less. I hope in these eight games we continue playing that way.’
target: Manuel Pellegrini believes his youth players are not ready for the first-team .
  His homegrown quote will be depleted when Frank Lamapard leaves .
  Pellegrini may lose James Milner, forcing him to invest in home talent .