Erik ten Hag has named his first squad as Manchester United boss with Cristiano Ronaldo the notable absentee for the club’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia.
Ronaldo wants to leave United after just one season and the 37-year-old is the only player who has not returned to the club’s pre-season training this month due to ‘family reasons’ and the Portuguese superstar will not jet off with the squad to Bangkok next week.
Defender Phil Jones - who United are willing to sell this summer, 11 years after his transfer from Blackburn - is missing alongside returning loanee Brandon Williams. Jones is currently following a specialist pre-season programme while Williams is reported to have a ‘small issue’ and so will remain at the club's Carrington training facilities for now. Another returning loanee, Teden Mengi, is missing alongside youth players Alvaro Fernandez and Shola Shoretire. It is an otherwise full-strength panel which represents a strong United squad to jet off for their first matches under Ten Hag, with Tyrell Malacia - the only signing of the summer transfer window for the club to date – included in the party.
The absence of Ronaldo and lack of forward signings ensures that 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho is likely to feature for United, while Antony Martial and Amad are both available having returned from loan spells at Sevilla and Rangers respectively.
Those two players are likely to be among those fighting for their futures at the club under Ten Hag, which is also likely to be the case for defensive trio Eric Bailly, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Alex Telles - who have all been included in the squad.
Donny van de Beek, Tahith Chong, James Garner, Facundo Pellestri, Axel Tuanzebe and Brandon Williams are other players who have returned to United following loan stints away; although it is likely that several will be moved on before the season gets underway in August.
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Highly-rated Tunisian international midfielder Hannibal Mejri is included in Ten Hag's panel alongside Charlie Savage, Zidane Iqbal and goalkeeper Matej Kovar, who spent last season on loan at Burton Albion.
There has already been a significant exodus of players from United this year. Paul Pogba is on the lookout for a new club after United confirmed his exit at the end of his contract before the club also said their goodbyes to Jesse Lingard. Spanish playmaker Juan Mata's exit at the end of his contract was then confirmed.
Nemanja Matic has departed too, joining Roma, while Edinson Cavani and Lee Grant – who has taken up a coaching role at Ipswich Town – have also left the first-team squad at United. Dean Henderson has joined Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan deal while Andreas Pereira is on the verge of joining Fulham on a permanent deal.
United will play Liverpool in Bangkok on Tuesday before moving on to Australia; where they will play local outfit Melbourne Victory on Friday at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground before taking on Crystal Palace at the same venue four days later. Ten Hag’s squad will complete their time in Australia on 23 July with a clash against Aston Villa in Perth.
United will then return to Europe and they will take on Atletico Madrid in the Norwegian capital Oslo on 30 July before taking on La Liga side Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford the following day. Ten Hag’s side will start their Premier League campaign with a home clash against Brighton on 7 August.
Full Man United pre-season tour squad : De Gea, Lindelof, Bailly, Maguire, Bruno, Martial, Rashford, Malacia, Amad, Fred, Varane, Dalot, Heaton, Shaw, Sancho, Telles, Pellistri, Wan-Bissaka, Bishop, Van de Beek, Elanga, Garner, Tuanzebe, McTominay, Kovar, Laird, Chong, Hannibal, Garnacho, Savage, Iqbal
