Loan move brought forward
Oliver Whatmuff has left Manchester City's pre-season tour before it even began. The 18-year-old goalkeeper has started his loan at Stockport County early, a decision prompted by an injury to County's Andy Wogan during pre-season. Whatmuff will not travel with the Blues to Hong Kong and Seoul.
He will instead stay with Stockport for the rest of their pre-season and the 2026-27 campaign. That means reuniting with manager Jimmy McNulty, who worked with the shot-stopper at Rochdale last term. Whatmuff kept 18 clean sheets there and produced a heroic two-save penalty shootout display at Wembley to secure promotion.
His early departure leaves City needing a fourth goalkeeping option for the Asia tour. Step forward Max Chabot.
French trialist drafted in
Chabot, an 18-year-old French talent, has joined the squad as a trialist. He is in the process of completing a move to the club from Angers SCO, though the transfer has not yet been formalised. The France youth international rejected a first professional contract at his boyhood club, choosing instead to pursue his development in England.
Chabot featured for France at the FIFA U17 World Cup and regularly appeared above his age group at Angers, playing for both the U19s and reserve side. He is expected to join the academy setup rather than the first team.
James Trafford, meanwhile, is expected to leave for Leeds United. Director of football Hugo Viana is understood to be working to identify an experienced back-up option behind Gianluigi Donnarumma before the window closes.