Mukasa commits his future
Divine Mukasa has signed a new contract with Manchester City (1). The highly rated teenage prospect is seen as one of the brightest talents in the academy, and tying him down is a smart bit of business as the Maresca era begins to take shape.
City move to lock down Xavier Parker
City are working on a new deal for 16-year-old Xavier Parker, with Liverpool circling (2) (4). Fabrizio Romano confirms the interest from the rival club is real, but City want to keep the promising youngster at the Etihad. Parker is highly regarded inside the club and losing him to a direct rival would sting.
Gvardiol, Echeverri and Donnarumma: the latest
Josko Gvardiol is expected to sign a new contract, he is settled in Manchester and at the club (2). Meanwhile, Claudio Echeverri is set to join the first-team pre-season camp under Enzo Maresca, with a view to being part of the squad next season. On the Gianluigi Donnarumma front, things are quieter, but James Trafford's profile may fit Maresca's approach better, which could shift the club's thinking in goal.
Doku leaves Belgium training with discomfort
Jeremy Doku left Belgium's first training session in Seattle on Tuesday with discomfort, but it is not considered a concern for the World Cup (3). The knock is minor, Rudi Garcia's camp are not worried, and Doku should be fine for the tournament opener against Egypt.
Fan reactions
The mood around the Gvardiol contract news is one of relief, fans see him as untouchable and keeping him feels like a statement of intent. There is also quiet optimism about the youth pipeline, with Echeverri and Vitor Reis expected in pre-season and fans connecting the dots on what Maresca's first squad might look like. Read more
