Another week, another red letter Loan Watch featuring yet more star turns from our ever-swelling collective of starlets plying trades across the continent.
Only one place to start this week… Oakwell, one-time host of a City UEFA Cup qualifier against EB Streymur.
Why Oakwell? Well, that’s where City EDS forward Devante Cole is calling home for the next six months and he’s already secured a place in the hearts of the Barnsley faithful with a home debut to remember in the Tykes’ 4-1 win over Gillingham on Saturday.
Devante had only climbed off the substitute’s bench four minutes previously when he rifled home his first senior professional goal, a sidefooted smash which satisfyingly thundered in off the underside of the crossbar on its route to goal.
Highlights
His 26 minute cameo left supporters salivating and calling for the 19-year old to be in the starting line-up for the first time when Barnsley travel to Yeovil on Saturday.
Cole’s manager Danny Wilson was similarly impressed, reserving special praise for the City man and his fellow new boy, Dale Jennings.
"They've done absolutely brilliant (sic)," added Wilson. "Coming into the team they offer a different dynamic. They stretch teams out and are able to hurt them. It was terrific as it gave another threat and a difficult decision from Gillingham's point of view and how to keep them at bay."
Also in the Championship, Emyr Huws was in action for Wigan at the DW Stadium, completing 78 minutes of the Latics’ 1-0 victory over Blackpool.
That was his fourth appearance for Uwe Rosler’s side and his first three points.
It was a big week for PSV loanee Karim Rekik in the Eredivisie too, as the Eindhoven outfit faced off against their old rivals, Ajax.
PSV were one down at the Amsterdam Arena after 16 minutes but second-half goals from Depay, Narsingh and Jozefzoon turned the tide and gave Phillip Cocu’s side a famous 3-1 win.
That’s three wins from three for PSV now and they sit proudly atop the Eredivisie on goal difference.
Highlights
Staying in Holland, Albert Rusnak’s Cambuur continued their impressive start to the season with a 1-0 win away at Heracles.
The Slovakian completed all 90 minutes, with his 89th minute yellow card the only blemish against another impressive afternoon.
Elsewhere, there were UEFA Champions League debuts for Jason Denayer and Marcos Lopes in last week’s final qualifying rounds.
Denayer was at the heart of a Celtic defence which limited Maribor to just one goal away from home, leaving the Bhoys well placed to qualify for the group stages after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
He was an unused substitute in Celtic’s 1-0 defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Lopes came off the bench for Lille in the 62nd minute of their first-leg encounter against FC Porto but, despite a bright, encouraging showing, Rony couldn’t prevent his side going down to a 1-0 loss at home to the 2004 champions.
The Ligue 1 side travel to Estádio do Dragão tonight aiming to overturn the deficit.
They warmed up for that task in fine style, beating Lorient 2-0 on Saturday, with Lopes starting his first game and completing 81 minutes.
Travelling back to Scotland, there was another debut for a City EDS youngster.
Adam Drury joined up with teammate Ellis Plummer at St Mirren last week and played 70 minutes of the Buddies’ 1-0 home defeat to Dundee FC.
The 20-year old spoke to the Daily Record at the weekend and revealed that Patrick Vieira had sold him on the move to SPL.
“Patrick Vieira and Simon Davies advised me to come and said it would suit me,” he said.
“Patrick felt with the type of football St Mirren play I’d fit in well here. And I didn’t want a club where I wouldn’t fit in and wouldn't play.
“Patrick’s been up here. He feels the philosophy suits Man City players and we already have Ellis here – and that helped too.”
Despite the result, Plummer continued to impress for St Mirren, playing the full game.
Adam’s EDS teammate Billy O’Brien played all 90 minutes of Hyde’s 4-2 loss at home to Colwyn Bay on Saturday but took no part in their 3-2 loss to Bradford Park Avenue on Bank Holiday Monday.
In Norway, Bismark Boateng lasted 39 minutes of Stromgodset’s 3-2 defeat to Stabaek in the Eliteserien - a result which harmed their chances of an unlikely title push with Molde now 13 points ahead of the Ghanian’s team with nine games to play.
A division down, Eirik Johansen was on the winning side for Sandjeford as they overcame Hamkam 3-2
In League One, Greg Leigh was an unused substitute for Crewe as they went down 2-0 to Swindon at the County Ground and in La Liga, Bruno Zuculini will have to wait until next weekend to make his Valencia debut.
He was also an unused substitute for the 1-1 draw away at Sevilla on Saturday night.