Who isn’t there?
The starting point for this summer sojourn to the US is to review the group available to Pep Guardiola to face Celtic, Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea because it shapes the planning. The major international tournament participants Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Rúben Dias, Matheus Nunes, Jérémy Doku, Nathan Aké, Manuel Akanji, Phil Foden, Rodri, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Julián Álvarez are absent, and the Croatian duo Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol will join up partway through. City have made only one acquisition, bringing in Savinho from City Football Group’s Troyes after time on loan at CFG’s Girona – you get the idea. He was part of Brazil’s Copa América squad so is unavailable, leaving fans to wait to get a glimpse of the right winger.
Midfield
The plan at the end of last season was to have an extremely quiet window and nothing has changed. Kalvin Phillips leaving would be unlikely to force City’s hand. The midfielder is in the US because City need the bodies and there are no suitable takers, at the right price at least. Máximo Perrone is there after a season on loan at Las Palmas, aiming to prove his worth in the midfield mix with places up for grabs. Nunes did not convince last season and his absence will give others hope and plenty of minutes to catch the eye. The lack of senior professionals makes it a bit of a random mix of players returning from loan with no real prospect of a future at City and teenagers hoping to give Pep Guardiola something to think about in the long term. Rico Lewis is another who has spotted a gap in the midfield department. He came into the team as a full-back but would often drift into midfield and feels he could play as a No 8 under Guardiola and is eager for the opportunity in the US after impressing in a similar role a year ago.
Teenage kicks
Guardiola seemingly has a desire to make people feel old by calling up the sons of Emile Heskey and Jlloyd Samuel. Jaden Heskey is an 18-year-old striker who scored in City’s FA Youth Cup final triumph over Leeds last season, and Lakyle Samuel is the same age and can play at centre-back or right-back. Both joined aged eight and have progressed through City’s highly acclaimed academy. Twelve of the initial party of 27 are teenagers; the 16-year-old centre-back Stephen Mfuni has also travelled as part of a very young squad. It is unlikely any of the teenagers on show in the US other than Lewis will get many Premier League minutes regardless of performance in pre-season but it will provide insight regarding their potential.
Goalkeepers
There is a full complement of goalkeepers at least. Ederson, the No 1, is the subject of interest from Al-Ittihad and has shown a willingness to move to Saudi Arabia but City’s financial demands are a stumbling block. That means the Brazilian needs to find focus after missing out on the Copa América through injury, because Stefan Ortega is again eager to show he is capable of being first choice. The German signed a new contract over the summer and is unlikely to want another season admiring the view from the bench. He impressed when he deputised for Ederson, who sustained a number of injuries last season, most notably with his save from Son Heung-min in the penultimate game that helped City secure the title. This will be a serious battle for top billing and Ederson knows he has a challenge on his hands. Scott Carson will also be in attendance.
Full-backs
With the departure of the perennial substitute Sergio Gómez, and the tour situations involving Walker, Aké and Gvardiol, the full-back options have been somewhat depleted. Lewis is joined by Issa Kaboré, who is fresh from a promising season with Luton in the Premier League. At left-back, Josh Wilson-Esbrand and Tomas Galvez will be aiming to show Guardiola – or scouts from other clubs – that they have the capabilities to play first-team football this season.
Jack Grealish
After not being selected by Gareth Southgate for the England squad, Grealish knows a challenge has been laid at this door. It was exaggerated how poor he was last season but the 28-year-old was a long way from his best and needs to rectify that. The off-season brought joyous news to the Grealish household after it was announced that his partner, Sasha Attwood, is pregnant. The prospect of fatherhood often sharpens the mind and could be an inspiration for Grealish to prove a few critics wrong, especially as there is plenty of competition on the flanks, with Savinho a new option on the left. Grealish’s absence from Germany means he should be one of the freshest players available to Guardiola, a boost to his chances of getting plenty of minutes in the early part of the season.
