Coaches from Manchester City FC are launching football training sessions for young people in Dubai.

City Football Schools Dubai will give footballers between the ages of 3 and 16 the chance to improve their skills and stay healthy.

The scheme has been running in Abu Dhabi since 2011, with over 1000 children taking part each week.

To celebrate the launch in Dubai, City Football Schools are holding a week of free sessions from Saturday 13 October to Thursday 18 October. These sessions will be run by coaches who have previously worked with Manchester City at the Etihad.

The young footballers attending these sessions will also be able to sign up to the new City Football Schools season, which begins on 21 October.

Simon Hewitt, City Football’s head of football operations in the MENA region, said: “It’s all about enjoying football and from there the coaching team want to encourage and develop players of all ages and abilities.

“We’ve had a fantastic seven years with City Football Schools in Abu Dhabi and have always planned to bring the same set-up to Dubai. There is so much passion for the sport in the city.”

The sessions will be held at the newly opened Brighton College Dubai.

The free session on Saturday 13 October is for boys and girls of all ages and runs between 8.15 and 10.30 in the morning.

Between Sunday and Thursday sessions are organised by age group: 3-4 year olds from 4.30-5.15pm on Sunday and Thursday, 5-9 year olds from 5.30-6.45pm each day and 10-16 year olds from 7.15-8.30pm. Full details are available at uae.cityfootballschools.com.

These free sessions will be followed by the new season, where children will be able to develop their skills and learn from coaches who have worked with Pep Guardiola and the Premier League champions.

Hewitt continued: “From this week we will be running coaching sessions in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai and it shows the determination of Manchester City to always make progress in youth development.

“All the coaches have trained at the Etihad Campus and been a part of that world class footballing facility.

“They bring those values and principles with them along with the City methodology to City Football Schools at Brighton College Dubai.”

All children signing up for a full City Football Schools team will also be entered into a competition to win a trip to Manchester to watch a Manchester City home game.