Why Reigan Heskey left Man City & followed in footsteps of Jude Bellingham & Jadon Sancho as ex-Liverpool & England star father Emile explains Bundesliga transfer
Jaden Heskey also part of City's academy system
Reigan spent time in the academy system at City alongside brother Jaden, who enjoyed a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday last season. Both were held in high regard by the Blues, but first-team opportunities with Premier League heavyweights are always limited.
There comes a point when alternative career paths need to be considered, with Reigan deciding that the summer of 2026 was the ideal time in which to change direction. He has opted to spread wings a long way outside of his professional comfort zone.
Heskey has followed Sancho & Bellingham to the Bundesliga
He is not the first to do so, and will not be the last. Sancho, who was also on the books at City, headed to Borussia Dortmund in 2017. He was joined at Signal Iduna Park three years later by fellow England international Bellingham - with Jude’s younger brother, Jobe, also taking that step.
Heskey, with one Carabao Cup appearance for City to his name, now finds himself in Cologne. The deal that took him there could eventually be worth as much as £8 million ($11m), with various add-ons being factored into the equation.
Why has Heskey swapped Premier League heavyweights for the Bundesliga?
The powerful winger is determined to show City what he is capable of, with father Emile - speaking in association with Premier League betting site BetWright - telling GOAL when asked about the decision to leave England behind: “I think at 17, 18, if you're ready to play first-team football and you're not getting that and you inevitably won't get it in England, you've got to go somewhere where there's a proven track record. Germany looks like there's a proven track record.
“Our youth system, as in youth international, we've got some fantastic players. The Germans have seen that time and time again in the players. Why aren't we given the opportunity in England?
“We shouldn't necessarily have to go to Germany, we shouldn't necessarily have to go to Belgium, we shouldn't necessarily have to go to France. That's what's happening. We're buying players in England from France, from Germany, at 20, 21. We've got 20, 21-year-olds who we've been playing against them on a regular basis, international level, and beating them.
“And being seen as that crop with Sancho, Phil Foden, that crop, I think it was Marc Guehi as well, was seen as the best in Europe. But we've not been giving the opportunities. Marc Guehi was at Chelsea, he didn't get a chance at Chelsea, he had to leave.
“But others are all getting a chance in their own respective country. And I get it because in England we've got the biggest league and possibly the best league. But our kids are never going to get the chance.
“My son [Jaden] is 20, 21 soon. At 22 I left for Liverpool after playing five seasons [at Leicester]. So we've got too many kids now who are being, I wouldn't say being held back, but they're missing out on important years of learning at 18, 19, 20 to play in the 21s, which gives you nothing. Apart from the EFL Trophy, which is good. I like that, I like it a lot, but that's two games.”
Heskey made one senior appearance for Man City
Reigan Heskey did figure in two EFL Trophy games for City last season - against Bolton and Rotherham - but his only senior experience came when stepping off the bench with seven minutes remaining in a Carabao Cup clash with Huddersfield.
More game time should be found in Germany, with a youngster that caught the eye of many at the 2025 U17 World Cup - scoring four goals at that tournament - ready to embrace shows of faith that were denied him in Manchester.
