Manchester City have a decision to make on Reigan Heskey, and the calendar is doing the pushing.

The 18-year-old forward's scholarship agreement expires on 30 June, and talks over a first professional contract have not yet produced a deal. That leaves City exposed to losing one of their more productive academy attackers without a fee — not ideal for a club that prides itself on elite talent identification.

Heskey is not a peripheral figure in the youth setup. City's own profile describes him as a "tricky, clinical winger" who operates from the left and cuts inside onto his right foot. He made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup against Huddersfield Town, alongside the likes of Phil Foden, Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb, Nico O'Reilly and Divine Mukasa.

The numbers back up the billing. CaughtOffside, citing Football Insider, report that Heskey racked up 27 goals and nine assists during the 2024/25 youth campaign. He also scored the 87th-minute winner in the 2026 FA Youth Cup final — a 2-1 derby win over Manchester United at the Joie Stadium.

That is the kind of profile that attracts attention. Wide forwards who can finish, handle pressure and still have development runway do not come cheap once they leave the academy system.

The situation is complicated by Enzo Maresca's arrival. His background with City's Elite Development Squad means he should be well placed to judge which academy players can be integrated into the senior setup — particularly during a summer disrupted by the World Cup and a compressed pre-season.

The easy comparison is Cole Palmer. It is also too neat. Palmer left as a senior-ready player needing a guaranteed platform. Heskey is earlier in the pathway and still needs careful minutes management. But the broader lesson holds: City cannot afford to let a high-upside attacker reach contract uncertainty without either a pathway or a premium exit route secured.

There is still time for a sensible outcome. A professional deal followed by a structured loan or a defined first-team plan would protect City's investment and give Heskey the clarity every elite teenager needs. If no agreement arrives, the optics become damaging — not catastrophic, but damaging.

Another academy forward with obvious value edging toward the exit would be a bad look as City enter a new technical era. Maresca knows the building and understands what an academy player needs to hear. Heskey's situation now presents a straightforward test: protect the asset, define the route, and stop a promising pathway from becoming someone else's opportunity.