Manchester City have confirmed their travelling squad for the FIFA Club World Cup, set to begin on June 18 in Philadelphia. Pep Guardiola’s team will kick off their campaign against Moroccan side Wydad AC at Lincoln Financial Field.
The squad features a full-strength lineup, including four new signings, as City aim to win the inaugural expanded Club World Cup. However, Jack Grealish has been omitted from the squad, further fueling speculation about his imminent departure from the club.
Grealish Excluded as City Prepare for Club World Cup
Grealish’s absence from the squad strengthens reports that the English winger is set to leave the Etihad after struggling to justify his £100 million price tag since his 2021 move from Aston Villa.
He has scored just 17 goals in 157 appearances, including only one Premier League goal this season, and has slipped down Guardiola’s pecking order following the arrivals of Jeremy Doku and Claudio Echeverri.
City are reportedly open to selling Grealish for £40 million, significantly less than his original transfer fee, as they seek to remove his £300,000-per-week wage from their books. Aston Villa, Newcastle, Everton, West Ham, and Serie A side Napoli are all reportedly interested in signing the England international.
Full Manchester City Squad for the Club World Cup
Despite the uncertainty around Grealish, City have strengthened their squad in preparation for the tournament, having endured a rare trophyless season.
New signings Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Marcus Bettinelli are all included in the travelling squad, as Guardiola looks to refresh his aging squad.
Squad List:
Goalkeepers: Marcus Bettinelli, Stefan Ortega Moreno, Ederson
Defenders: Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Vitor Reis, Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rico Lewis
Midfielders: Tijjani Reijnders, Nico Gonzalez, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku, Savinho, Claudio Echeverri, Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb, Nico O’Reilly
Forwards: Omar Marmoush, Erling Haaland
Club Legend Walker Excluded Amid Departures
City have also left out Kyle Walker ahead of his expected exit. Walker had previously requested a transfer in January and may head to AC Milan.
City’s Group Stage Fixtures
Manchester City will face Wydad AC (Morocco), Al Ain (Abu Dhabi), and Juventus (Italy) in the group stage as they chase history and bid to become the first team to win the expanded FIFA Club World Cup.
