The teenager has put pen to paper on a three-year deal and joins a pair of Academy team-mates who also pledged their immediate futures by signing professional terms with City.
Unlike Onuoha, the other two full-timers, midfielder Stephen Ireland and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, have yet to make their first-team debuts.
The physically imposing Onuoha was on the bench for Sunday's derby at Old Trafford after making his Premiership bow as a substitute for Richard Dunne against Norwich and is excited about the coming months.
"The contract runs until the end of the 2007 season, three years basically, but hopefully I will be working towards another contract within that time," he said.
"This is my first my professional contract and it is great to get one which gives me time to concentrate on my football.
"It is great to get it sorted out as sometimes I was thinking of my football and other times I was wondering if I was going to get a contract.
"I wouldn't say it was a worrying time but it was something that takes your mind away from football and it now gives me a good base. I am very proud and happy to have this contract with Manchester City and signing it you could say has saved me a lot of heartbreak."
Being around the first team so regularly since the opening weeks of the season has given Onuoha a taste for senior action and he naturally wants more.
He also knows, and accepts, that he still has much to learn in certain areas of his game.
"My immediate ambition is probably the same as any of us playing in the reserves and that is to break into the first team," he added.
"I know competition will be tougher now as I am in a bigger pool of players and I will have to show what I am worth. I am a competitive person but at the same time I wouldn't want to take that too far.
"I know that playing in defence you need that killer instinct and that is something in my game that I need to develop more.
"I was a 100 metre runner at school and represented Greater Manchester. But it is all very well running the 100 metres fast, it is a different matter showing that pace in football.
"In a football game you will do a 100 metres many times during a game. At the moment what I believe I have to do is maintain the strengths in my game and improve on my weaknesses. Unless you do that you do not improve as a footballer.
"Distribution is one of my weaknesses and sometimes I don't think I am fully alert in a game when I should be.
Concentrate
"I think it is a case of learning to concentrate for the whole 90 minutes of a game. I know I shouldn't but sometimes at centre back you can drift away during a game if your team is attacking.
"Sometimes I have a tendency to look at what is happening ahead of me instead of what is happening around me. So many games can be won or lost in the closing minutes of a game so it is important to concentrate the whole time.
"I want to try to do what Shaun (Wright-Phillips) and Joey (Barton) have done."
Boss Kevin Keegan has been quick to make sure the club has tied up its most promising young talent on contracts.
Both Wright-Phillips and Barton have this season penned new long term, lucrative deals and now Ireland and Schmeichel have joined the list that also includes Willo Flood.
Kasper Schmeichel turned 18 on November 5 and the son of former City stopper Peter Schmeichel, who captained the Blues to a derby win over his former club Manchester United two seasons ago at Maine Road, is expected to rocket towards the top.
Eighteen-year-old Stephen Ireland is a regular in the reserves and joined the Academy as a schoolboy from Cork in the Republic of Ireland.
He is a talented creative midfielder who is also a goal scorer and helped the City second string to victory in the Manchester Senior Cup last week with a goal in the 3-0 win over Bury.
There is more good news for Blues fans with 19-year-old twins Jonathan and Nathan D'Laryea having agreed contract extensions to their current deals.
Midfielder Jonathan has already been handed his chance in the senior squad when he was one of five former Academy players in the starting line up in the Carling Cup defeat against Arsenal.
"It is great that these boys have made the first step in a professional career in the game," said Academy director Jim Cassell.
"We all work hard in the Academy to create an opportunity for the boys here. Now we have done that the next stage can be the most difficult one and that is to take that opportunity and establish themselves in the senior squad.
"We all hope that they can take their chance and that we will see them as members of the Manchester City senior squad in the future."
Keegan was also delighted to have settled the futures of the Boy Blues.
"Our Academy has done us proud this year. About a year and a half ago when Arthur Cox was still here, he told me we had some good ones coming through," he recalled.
"I have to be honest. I said that Shaun had come through but I couldn't really see what else was coming through. Nedum was very young, but I thought he had a chance. But the kids have done well. As one has done something it has encouraged the others. Shaun has been a great standard bearer."
Are you happy to see Keegan blooding the young stars? Who should be next for the first team breakthrough? Have your say.
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I would like to see Croft get his chance.
The furure looks very bright for CITY, the Academy has done us proud.
Home grown give more passion in their games for the club.
Come on you BLUES!
There's been plenty of fans on here banging on about giving the kids a chance and with the recent spate of injuries we have seen just how good some of them are. With our dire financial situation it is a blessing that we have these young lads coming through and all the academy team deserve great credit and Kevin Keegan probably owes them a huge debt of gratitude too!
I want to see Beep given a chance alongside Nico. Hope he gets on for 30 mins on Saturday but only if we are in a 'comfortable' position.
I hope this news will stop the moaners at long last. For months now, everyone has been having a go at KK for not playing the youngsters, and saying we will probably lose them as we did with Elliot. Lets be fair and honest with our assessment, and admit that KK can recognise young talent and has the ability to blood them properly. Like all City fans I am hopeful that all the young lads will come through and we do not need to rely on searching the bargain basement in January, but am also realistic in that we may not have viable options given the ever growing injury list.
Roll on Blackburn
Keep the faith
About time Crofty got a chance (given his credentials I am surprised he has not been tried so far-are their other issues with the lad? Anyone know why he has not been tried?). Steven Ireland and Paul Collins are both great hopes for the future. Bradley Wright-Phillips should also get a chance on as a sub should we be well ahead. Paddy McCarthy also looked good in the Reading friendly, again a sub appearance would be deserving.
Whats happened to Lee Croft, he is one the most exciting youngsters at City and a regular in the England Youth setup.
well done to all the blues who kept the atmosphere going at a very quite swamp, particularly at the interval, ''in church it's just like being in church'' ssshhh ha ha very funny CTID
well done to all the blues who kept the atmosphere going at a very quite swamp, particularly at the interval, ''in church it's just like being in church'' ssshhh ha ha very funny CTID
I am delighted the youngsters have been given a chance and that they have proved what a difference a bit of youthful enthusiasm can make. However, I think KK has been forced to play them and if Thatcher, Sun and Reyna had been fit on Sunday, then we would unfortunately not have seen the great performances of Flood and, particularly, Jordan. I will only be convinced that KK really wants to give youth a chance if the kids are still playing when everyone is fit.
Like a few others I am surprided that Crofty has not been given a chance. I have seen him a couple of times and he has always impressed me, especially in the recent derby against the rags when he played on the left and was against Wes Brown. I would be interested if anyone knows if there are other issues that are preventing him progressing. Other than this it's great to see many of our young talent coming through to earn extended contracts. It's a pity we don't have enough top players to bring them on more.
Seeing is believing and KK''s latest comments appear to suggest he has'nt been seeing! The introduction of youth is wonderful and at long last City can look forward to the future, a future hopefully involving players with ages comfortably under 25 instead of marginally under 35. Whilst rushing players into the first team has its dangers, our neighbours took the gamble and look what happened their. Many suspect KK does not have a lot of time for the youth in the club relying for information on suggestions from colleagues e.g. Arthur Cox in the case of one, Joey Barton. I for one look forward to the day and a visit to the swamp when we can parade a side largely made up of kids groomed on our books. Jim, keep up the good work.
Pity a catalogue of injuries is the only way for KK to be forced into using the Youth in the club. Having to be told about the strength, which lies beneath the surface of the first team by colleagues (e.g.Arthur Cox on Joey Barton) suggests KK is not in touch with the life saving talent lurking in his midst. Keep up the good work Jim the supporters need to be reminded occasionally of the backroom staffs efforts. I look forward to the day when City can visit the swamp with a team of largely home grown talent and put one over on them. Instead of players marginally under 35 lets cheer on players substantially under 25. These are exciting times lets hope KK can handle such raw but promising talent.
one things for sure these kids will give 100pc unlike one or two senior players another good thing is that alot of the kids are actually local lads and most importantly city fans.
Nedum is clearly a class act, good to see that he's got a contract and will play a part in City's future (if he's given the chance). With kids coming through like Onouha there's a lot of hope for us. About time the useless oldie's were given a back seat, time for the new generation to shine on through.
yes very happy for the youngsters i am still waiting for lee crofts and bwp to play for the first team i think this is a very exiting time for the academy with all these young ones pushing for the top
this makes city a very healthy club
Wouldn't it be nice to have a solid core of Blues from our Academy and just bring in the odd signing to fill in the holes that our boys can't?
Can't wait for the dead wood to be out of here in 3 years and to have all of the team give 100% all of the time.
Maybe, even have a captain who talks English and can communicate with the refs every now and again, instead of KK, Joey & Mills going pear-shaped to the men in black.
I personally would like to see Willo used on the left wing as he was for 20 mins in the derby. Therefore you can put S W-P on his favoured position on the right and it also means you can get shot of McManaman ans Bambierski. Play B W-P up front and bring Croft on for 20 mins every game to replace Bosvelt till Croft gets enough experience. Then make him a first team starter. I'm sick of hearing they aint old enough, the same wasn't said about Owen or Rooney. If they are good enough they are old enough and the only way to get them experience is to PLAY them.
Stu, Rugby, I don't agree. I think SWP should be in a central role, either central midfield or behind striker(s). SWP is the most natural footballer I've seen in a long time. He doesn't need asking to do something, he doesn't think about doing it, he just does it, reactively if necessary, proactively wherever possible. I feel his greatest influence on a game can come from the centre of the park. As for our youngsters, Onouha is outstanding, Flood still learning but you can't hold back that talent and natural enthusiasm, Jordan proved me wrong at OT. Let's see the rest of them. As per previous postings the proof is in the pudding with KK Will he pick the youngsters when the oldies are fit? Please prove me wrong KK and pick them, cos I got a feeling you're going to go back to your old faithfuls, which, on past experience, is no way forward.
what positions is croft best suited? all i hear is hes a quality prospect, but for what position. on the city website hes down as a striker well i guess this is wrong, then i hear he should start in place of bosvelt in the middle then i hear he played on the left in the reserves derby v manu. any one help?
Greg - I've went to the reserves game against Man U at OT at the end of last season and Lee Croft played on right side of midfield. He also played in this position recently when he came on as a sub for England U19. As far as I can remember he's right footed, imaginative on the ball, likes to run at defenders and take them on (more with tricks than with pace). The main issue I've noticed is that he has a tendency to hold on to the ball too long and for as many clever passes and flicks that he makes he also loses the ball as often. I can see why KK may not be so sure with him as he would be competing with SWP and Willo for a place in right midfield - and I don't think he works as hard as either of them defensively.
Sandy, Dublin. I agree with you about S W-P the only problem is that we only have 1 of him. From what I hear though Croft plays the attacking midfield role so he could play there. I'm just trying to think of ways we dont have to play Bambierski and McManaman. Willo could definately fill the left wing role though or if must, Reyna, anyone but tweedle dee and tweedle dum.
A lot of Croft fans on here but like Greg (Cumbria) judging by press reports and web sites/profiles he plays all over the park! Am equally confused as to whether Jonny D'Laryea is a left sided MF or not. Can anyone enlighten me? Bit daft, (todays news) that we've let Croft go to Oldham AND be cup tied with such a small squad as KK keeps reminding us. Ahhh City!