Manchester City have started training for the new season with the first batch of players put through their paces at the CFA
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (Image: DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
Kalvin Phillips joined Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish back at the City Football Academy as the first group of Manchester City players returned for pre-season training.
The Blues have been off since their FA Cup final defeat on May 25, with most of Pep Guardiola’s squad going on to play in either the European Championship or Copa America. Those players have been allowed extra rest but those whose season ended in May are back in Manchester today to begin their preparations for the new campaign under Pep Guardiola.
They include Haaland, whose Norway team didn’t make it to the Euros, and Phillips, who wasn’t selected in Gareth Southgate’s England squad after a disastrous two years at City. Phillips is not expected to be part of Guardiola’s plans for the season but has reported back for duty and trained on Monday afternoon with the rest of the group; he will be with the squad until another move is finalised, making it likely that he heads on tour.
City will not have many senior players on their pre-season tour when they fly out to the United States on Friday, although Haaland and Grealish are two of the biggest names in the squad and will be on the plane. There are four games in four different states over a two-week period before the Blues return for the Community Shield against United and their Premier League opener against Chelsea.
Many other teams in the top flight have already returned to training – United play their first friendly on Monday – but Guardiola and his staff are relaxed about players having more time off if it means they are more refreshed when they do return. That strategy has worked out well in Manchester and there are no plans to change it.