Manchester City academy chief Jim Cassell expects Dundee United winger Willo Flood to return to the Premiership in the future.

He told City's website: "It wouldn't surprise me if at some stage he made it back into the Premier League because he's always working at his game. Nobody would be more pleased and proud than Barry Poynton and myself.

"Willo was one of our early signings when we got into the market in Dublin.

"Barry Poynton and myself are very close to Willo because he was part of a group of players that took us to a little bit more prominence as an Academy.

"If there's ever a boy that deserves to play in anyone's first team, then it's Willo Flood, because the kid is just a diamond and I speak to him almost every single day now."