Manchester City have named a youthful squad to travel to the United States for four friendlies ahead of their Premier League defence
Pep Guardiola has included a triallist in a 27-man squad to the United States with a host of prospects from the Manchester City academy.
Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland are some of the few first-team stars available for the trip, together with Ederson, Stefan Ortega, Kalvin Phillips and Oscar Bobb. Most of the first team squad are still resting up though after taking part in the European Championship, while Julian Alvarez is busy getting ready for the Olympics in Paris.
Unable to call on many of his senior stars, Guardiola has packed the plane with academy players and a winger on the books of Troyes. Amar Fatah was in Manchester for pre-season after a tough time with injuries and has headed out with City as a trialist; the 20-year-old is unlikely to sign permanently with the Blues but it is hoped it can be a useful experience for him under Guardiola.
There was no place for Issa Kabore, the full-back who spent last season on loan at Luton Town, despite the fact he has taken part in training this week at the City Football Academy. Yan Couto, another full-back who spent last season on loan, is also absent.
However, a number of other players who are expected to leave on loan have travelled. Maximo Perrone is on the plane ahead of what is expected to be another year away, while defenders Callum Doyle and Josh Wilson-Esbrand are also in the squad.
New signing Savio is not expected to join up with the group until they are back in Manchester ahead of the Community Shield but Croatian pair Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic will. City play Celtic in North Carolina, AC Milan in New York, Barcelona in Orlando, and Chelsea in Ohio where there will be opportunities for prospects to play their way into the manager’s plans.
TOUR SQUAD: Ederson, Ortega, Carson, Samuel, Lewis, Katongo, Doyle, Simpson-Pusey, Mbete, Mfuni, Galvez, Wilson-Esbrand, Phillips, Susoho, Wright, Perrone, McAtee, Heskey, Grealish, O’Reilly, Ndala, Haaland, Fatah, Hamilton, Knight, Bobb, Oboavwoduo
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