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Who is Sacha Lewis? Manchester City's Girls' Academy graduate has signed her first professional contract after a Player of the Season-winning campaign with the Next Gen side.

"It means even more because I support City" - Sacha Lewis has spoken about the emotion of putting pen to paper on her first Manchester City contract. The homegrown defender's journey from an Under-14 recruit to a regular around the first-team setup caps a breakthrough season that also brought her the Player of the Season award.

A dream fulfilled in Manchester

Manchester City have officially tied down the long-term future of highly rated teenage defender Sacha Lewis, with the youngster signing her first professional contract at the club. The 18-year-old full-back, who is from Bury and has supported City all her life, has completed an impressive rise through the youth ranks.

After first joining the set-up at Under-14 level, Lewis has steadily progressed through the ranks at the City Football Academy. She now becomes the latest success story from the Girls' Academy, following the recent step up of fellow defender Gracie Prior into the senior professional set-up. Lewis will continue to wear the number 47 shirt as she completes her permanent move into the first-team environment.

The landmark contract comes after an outstanding individual season for the youngster in 2025-26. Lewis was named Player of the Season for City's Next Gen side and played a leading role as the team finished fifth in their inaugural campaign.

'It means even more because I support City'

Breaking into a senior squad is always a major challenge, but doing so at a club that has just completed a domestic double - winning both the Barclays Women's Super League title and the Women's FA Cup in 2025-26 - underlines the teenager's huge promise.

Speaking about the major moment in her young career, Lewis - the younger sister of Manchester City men's star Rico Lewis - said her strong bond with the club made the occasion especially emotional.

"It's amazing. A lot of hard work was put in and it's such a great achievement," she said after the announcement. "I'm proud. It means so much, it means even more because I support City. Being here in the Academy, not many people get this opportunity so I'm very grateful."

Sjogran hails 'shining example' for young players

The rise of another homegrown player is an important boost for the club's development pathway, and that view was strongly echoed by Manchester City's Director of Football, Therese Sjogran.

Sjogran praised the 18-year-old's maturity and also pointed to the collective work needed to prepare players for the demands of top-level football.

"This is a special moment for Sacha and one she fully deserves," Sjogran said. "Her development is another demonstration of the incredible pathway our young players have to the first team, and she's been a shining example to her team-mates despite still being just 18."

The Director of Football also used the moment to praise Head of Girls' Academy Hannah Dingley and Lead Coach Izzy Christiansen for the important roles they played in helping Lewis develop through the Next Gen ranks. "With her talent and attitude, she certainly has a bright future in the game," Sjogran added.

The pathway to regular first-team football

Although this is Lewis's first professional contract, she is already familiar with the demanding environment of Andree Jeglertz's senior set-up. Last season, the teenager was included in the matchday squad for several high-pressure fixtures, including City's opening two WSL matches against title rivals Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion. She also picked up valuable experience after being named in the squad for January's tense League Cup semi-final against the Blues.

In addition, the England Under-19 international has already had a taste of first-team action overseas. During City's 2024 pre-season tour of Australia, she came on as a substitute in Perth and helped her side secure a penalty shootout win over Leicester City.

As Manchester City get ready to defend their WSL title in the coming season, the formal integration of academy talents such as Lewis shows the club remain firmly committed to building for the future while continuing to dominate in the present.