Enzo Maresca must uncover a hidden gem in Manchester City's tour squad as seven first-team stars are absent. The World Cup ruled out Haaland, Doku, Cherki, Anderson, Rodri, O'Reilly, and Guehi, who will not train until the team returns from Asia.
Guardiola's legacy of finding talent
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak set Guardiola the task in 2016 to develop academy players into first-team stars. Guardiola used pre-season tours to blood youngsters like Foden, Lewis, and O'Reilly, while Bobb suffered a leg break after his 2024 breakthrough.
Academy continues to produce
City's academy remains prolific, hoovering up trophies in recent years. Many talented youngsters are on the plane to Asia, landing Wednesday. Opportunities exist for them to impress Maresca and earn first-team spots in future seasons.
—
