Do FIFPro rules permit eliminated Euro pair to feature for Manchester City during pre-season?

Manchester City and Pep Guardiola could have a further two first-team players available for next month’s pre-season tour of the United States.

The Sky Blues begin preparations for the 2024/25 campaign next month, as Manchester City look to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title, and compete in the newly-formatted UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.

Guardiola’s side could play a record number of matches next season, and will begin their Premier League title defence away to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in mid-August, one week after the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium against Manchester United.

Manchester City will be involved in a four-match pre-season tour of the USA prior to facing local rivals Manchester United in north London, with the Sky Blues playing friendlies against Celtic, AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea.

The matches will take place across America, with games in North Carolina, New York, Florida and Ohio between late July and early August.

The Cityzens have toured the USA in the past and will be returning Stateside next summer to compete in the 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, having qualified for the competition last year by winning the Champions League in Istanbul.

Manchester City are set to have both Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish available for this summer’s tour of the America, and Guardiola could also include pair Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol within his travelling squad.

The Croatian duo were eliminated from the European Championship in dramatic circumstances, as Italy scored a last-gasp equaliser at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig to prevent Kovacic and Gvardiol reaching the last-16 stages of the tournament.

The Manchester Evening News report that FIFPro rules recommend footballers receive at least three weeks off between seasons to recover, meaning Guardiola could have the duo available for the four-match tour.

Manchester City had 14 players selected for the European Championship this summer, with the majority having successfully qualified for the knockout stages.

England stumbled through with another lacklustre performance on Tuesday evening, meanwhile Belgium need a win over Ukraine on Wednesday evening in Stuttgart to secure their last-16 place.