Donnarumma, Lewis and six loanees set to greet Maresca at City's first pre-season session

Enzo Maresca will begin his tenure as Manchester City manager in earnest on Monday, 20 July, when the first group of players reports to the City Football Academy for pre-season training. With the World Cup running deep into the month, the bulk of City’s squad will still be on mandatory rest, but a significant contingent of first-team regulars and returning loanees will be on hand to meet their new head coach.

Among the senior players expected back early are those who missed out on World Cup involvement entirely. Italy’s failure to qualify means goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma will be available from the start, while Rico Lewis, Jack Grealish, Kalvin Phillips and Phil Foden were all omitted from England’s squad. Nico Gonzalez did not make Spain’s cut, and Savinho was left out of Brazil’s plans — giving Maresca six established first-teamers to work with from day one.

Six youngsters who spent last season on loan are also expected to return unless transfers are finalised before the session. Centre-backs Vitor Reis, Max Alleyne and Juma Bah, along with attackers Claudio Echeverri, Divine Mukasa and Sverre Nypan, are all in line to impress the new manager during the early weeks of pre-season.

City are also expected to complete the signing of 16-year-old midfielder Jeremy Monga from Leicester for £12.5m within the next fortnight, which would see him join the group in time for the opening session. Arsenal had been considered favourites for Monga but reportedly baulked at Leicester’s asking price, allowing City to move quickly.

Young goalkeeper Oli Whatmuff will return to the club temporarily despite already agreeing a season-long loan to Stockport County. With James Trafford still involved at the World Cup, City need additional goalkeeping cover ahead of their summer tour to Asia, and Whatmuff will fill that role on a short-term basis.

Maresca may also call upon academy players to bolster numbers. Ryan McAidoo, Reigan Heskey, Harrison Miles and Teddie Lamb all featured prominently in the Under-18 side that won the FA Youth Cup last season, beating Manchester United in the final.