Pre-season plans take shape
Enzo Maresca has named a 28-man squad for Manchester City's tour of Asia. The Blues will face Inter Milan, the K-League All-Stars and Atletico Madrid in three friendlies as they build towards the 2026-27 campaign.
The first match is against Inter Milan on Saturday. It gives Maresca a proper look at his group as he tries to embed his tactical ideas and philosophies before the season starts on 23rd August.
Who's in the squad
Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marcus Bettinelli, Max Chabot and Jack Wint are the goalkeepers. The defence includes Rico Lewis, Matty Henderson-Hall, Max Alleyne, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, Stephen Mfuni, Josko Gvardiol, Kaden Braithwaite and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Midfielders travelling are Nico Gonzalez, Mateo Kovacic, Tijjani Reijnders, Xavier Parker, Floyd Samba, Jaden Heskey, Divine Mukasa, Ryan McAidoo, Claudio Echeverri and Phil Foden. Up front, Antoine Semenyo, Savinho, Mahamadou Sangare, Divin Mubama and Jeremy Monga make the cut.
World Cup absentees and injury issues
City confirmed that players who reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will not join the tour. Those who went out at the Round of 16 stage are due to link up with the squad in Asia, but they haven't travelled today.
Jack Grealish is missing as he works his way back to full fitness after injury. Kalvin Phillips also misses out. Alex James and Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News report that Phillips is close to finalising a loan move to Sheffield United of the Championship.