Two Man City defenders miss training ahead of Palermo friendly with transfer close

Two Man City defenders miss training ahead of Palermo friendly with transfer close

Manchester City took part in a training session on Tuesday as they prepare for the new season but there were some absentees

Vitor Reis

Vitor Reis missed Manchester City training on Tuesday as he is close to completing a loan move to Girona. The Blues defender will spend a season on loan with the City Football Group club in Spain, with the expectation that he returns to the Etihad next summer.

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Reis joined the club from Palmeiras in January, with City swooping ahead of a number of interested clubs who had thought that the young centre-back would not be available for transfer until after the Club World Cup. He made a few appearances for the Blues in the second half of the season, although others were preferred for the run-in as Pep Guardiola chased qualification for the Champions League.

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City's manager included the defender in his squad for the Club World Cup and Reis performed well in the tournament despite City's shock exit. There has been considerable interest in him this summer, but a loan move to Girona has been decided as the best path for his development.

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Reis's exit will trim a City squad that is currently too big for Guardiola's liking. There are currently four too many non homegrown players than UEFA allow to be registered in the Champions League squad, and while three departures are expected there may need to be another.

Nico O'Reilly also missed the City training session on Tuesday, open to the public at the City Football Academy as the Blues prepare for the new campaign. The defender, one of the breakthrough stars last season and the new wearer of the No.33 shirt, was said to not be fully fit.

Rodri was involved in the session as he continues to be cautious on his return from the serious injury he suffered last season, one of 26 involved in the session.

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City take on Palermo on Saturday in Sicily in what is their only remaining friendly before the new season starts. They head to Molineux a week on Saturday to take on Wolves.

Former Wolves manager Gary O'Neil was at the City Football Academy on Tuesday, sat behind sporting director Hugo Viana, to watch the session.

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