McAidoo out of Seoul clash but shoulder issue is minor, insists Maresca
Ryan McAidoo's pre-season tour has hit a small bump. The 18-year-old will sit out Wednesday's friendly against the K-League All Stars in Seoul after picking up a shoulder problem.
City's head coach was quick to play down the severity. "In the last game, Ryan McAidoo was quite good," said Maresca. "Unfortunately, McAidoo will be out for tomorrow's game because he had a small problem in his shoulder, but nothing important."
The teenager impressed during the 1-1 draw with Inter Milan in Hong Kong last weekend, a cameo that prompted Maresca to make his feelings clear to director of football Hugo Viana. The message was simple: this is a player worth keeping around.
The injury is not expected to derail that momentum. McAidoo should return to full training shortly and is likely to feature again before the squad heads off for the final leg of their pre-season schedule.
With McAidoo unavailable, the wide areas will be shared out. Savinho is expected to carry extra responsibility against the All Stars, a timely chance for the Brazilian given the ongoing speculation over his future at the Etihad. Tottenham, as ever, continue to be linked.
Antoine Semenyo should also see plenty of the ball. The Ghana international caught the eye in Hong Kong and has been talking up the tactical work he is doing under Maresca ahead of the new campaign.
Maresca has made no secret of his desire to add another wide player before the window shuts, with the Premier League season kicking off on 23 August. For now, though, the focus is on Seoul — and on making sure McAidoo's minor setback stays exactly that.