Former Manchester City youngster Jorge Intima has a lot to say about his time at the club. In an interview with Mais Futebol, the player recalled the good times from when he signed his first contract to play abroad.
The winger stayed at the club’s youth level for fours years, until leaving for Arouca in February, as the Portuguese side offered him a chance to have more first-team football.
He was signed by Manchester City in 2012 after having a trial in Portugal. And one of his biggest expectations was to play alongside one of his idols, David Silva, who had a quick chat with him during his first days there.
“I was a bit shy and in Portuguese I told him that my dream was to play alongside him. And he replied, ‘You have to work to get to this level.’ He offered me a shirt and I asked him to take a picture with him. By that time, I already had a picture of him with me on the cell phone screen, but it was a photoshop.”
Intima told Mais Futebol that he lived in a house of a couple who have a contract with Manchester City to host young players. His adaptation was easier because of the treatment he had from Barbara and Lance, as other teammates also lived in the house.
“I lived with Iheanacho and a Norwegian boy who also played for City. Since the trainings happened twice a day, there was little free time left, but sometimes we would go together to walk through the city, especially to shops to buy clothes; At home, we watched movies together. We became friends. Thanks especially to my host family.
“They treated me as their son. I didn’t miss anything. When I arrived I couldn’t speak any English. They bought books and movies so I could learn the language faster. At the end of a year, I was already speaking well. I keep in touch with them. In fact, I want to invite them to come and see a game of mine here at Arouca.”
Intima ended up signing a contract with Arouca until 2019. He only played 41 minutes for the club this season as he still tries to find a place in the first team.
