Man City may miss out on next Nico O’Reilly following the preseason change

Manchester City’s young players typically have a chance to shine during preseason, but that may not be the case this summer.

Pre-season is generally a time for young players to shine. A tour consisting of three or four games and a two-week period of training allows academy graduates on the verge of breaking through to establish their claim.

A year ago, the roster for the four-game tour of the United States included 16 young players. During a major tournament year, it is common for City’s senior squad to be on vacation after the European Championship.

Nico O’Reilly was a key player under Pep Guardiola, becoming a regular first-team member at the end of the season. Oscar Bobb had previously made his first-team debut, but when given the opportunity to impress in America owing to the absence of more senior players, he went above and above.

These summers are frequently a useful learning experience for young players, regardless of whether they make the cut at City. It exposes them to training with better players and demonstrates how great athletes handle themselves and care for their bodies. These are lessons they may use to their jobs at any level.

This summer, however, will be different for City and those young players expecting to follow in the footsteps of someone like O’Reilly or even Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who received an opportunity due to injuries last season after touring and is now ready to leave on loan this season.

City’s summer trip was basically the Club World Cup, with Guardiola’s 27-man group mostly made up of senior players. The logic was sound, with a tournament to win and a need to integrate new recruits into a strong first-team environment.

That left the Under-21s to their own devices during the preseason. They’ve been back for a few weeks and have spent the majority of their time in Manchester. They drew 2-2 with Brentford B at the CFA last Saturday and triumphed 2-1 over City Football Group’s (CFG) Belgian club Lommel on Wednesday.

On Monday, Guardiola’s first team will join them at the CFA. This scenario would ordinarily result in some academy call-ups for training, but that is unlikely to occur.

City’s first-team roster already numbers over 30 players, more than enough to hold a dedicated workout without calling in young players. Guardiola’s objective is to reduce the roster size, which could allow some young players to join the first team when the season begins.

There is presently only one friendly scheduled for the first team: a trip to Palermo against the CFG-owned Serie B side on Saturday, August 9. That date will be filled by first-team players who need the minutes in their legs before the start of the domestic season, rather than opportunities for young players to shine.

For the time being, City’s Under-21s, also known as the Elite Development Squad within the club, will continue their own preseason. Ben Wilkinson is putting his players through their paces ahead of a demanding season, which will include the Blues’ participation in the Premier League International Cup.

If Guardiola succeeds in cutting his group, opportunities may come for those kids as the season continues, but their chance to lay down a marker in pre-season is unlikely to appear this summer.