Manchester United’s first-team players returned to Carrington on Monday morning for their first pre-season session ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
It was a first taste of life under the Erik ten Hag era as the former Ajax boss took charge of the Red Devils’ training session for the first time since his arrival from his native Netherlands last month.
In total, 20 senior players have reportedly been confirmed to have been in attendance for the first day of pre-season training on Monday, with a number of players missing due to being on international duty with their respective countries earlier this month.
Star striker Cristiano Ronaldo is among a large number of players not due to return to pre-season training until next Monday, although reports from the Manchester Evening News suggest that the returns of some players will be staggered ahead of flying to Bangkok for the first leg of the club’s pre-season tour on July 8.
Ronaldo was in Portugal’s squad for their June UEFA Nations League fixtures with Spain, Switzerland (twice) and the Czech Republic alongside club colleagues Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot.
Raphael Varane, Alex Telles, Scott McTominay, James Garner, Fred, Hannibal Mejbri, Facundo Pellistri, Alejandro Garnacho and Anthony Elanga were all also on international duty this month, suggesting there returns to training will not be until next week at the earliest. However, Garnacho is already back at Carrington having returned early from his pre-season break, despite scoring four goals in five caps for Argentina’s under-20s at this month’s Toulon Tournament.
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Club captain and England international centre-back Harry Maguire has also been granted permission to have an extended break after representing Gareth Southgate’s side this month. Maguire recently got married in a £250,000 do in Burgundy, France and is now set to fly to the Amalfi Coast on his honeymoon.
Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was among those to attend the wedding, and it is understood that the duo had been running together ahead of the ceremony in France.
While Ronaldo, Fernandes and Maguire headed up the list of players due back later than the rest of the initial squad, there are 19 players who have either been pictured at training or reported as amongst those taking part.
Goalkeeper David de Gea was among the star names who reportedly did return to training on Monday, alongside fellow key players Jadon Sancho, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jadon Sancho. Donny van de Beek, Brandon Williams and Anthony Martial, who all spent part of last season out on loan, were also in attendance.
A host of youngsters will have been hoping to stake their claim, including young goalkeeper Matej Kovar, full-backs Ethan Laird and Alvaro Fernandez plus attackers Garnacho and Shola Shoretire.
Man Utd players who attended the first day of pre-season training : David de Gea, Tom Heaton, Nathan Bishop, Matej Kovar; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Ethan Laird, Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones, Axel Tuanzebe, Luke Shaw, Brandon Williams, Alvaro Fernandez; Charlie Savage, Donny van de Beek; Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony Martial, Amad and Shola Shoretire.
