A look at the biggest winners from the two weeks Manchester City spent in Asia with new coach Enzo Maresca
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 09: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Manchester City is seen during the preseason friendly match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 09, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 09: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Manchester City is seen during the preseason friendly match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 09, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
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Donnarumma
Manchester City have completed their pre-season tour to Asia under Enzo Maresca. After just under a week in Hong Kong, the Blues headed to Seoul for another two games as well as talking part in local activities.
The trip is an important part of City’s commercial strategy for the year, with the chance to make an impact in a key market far away from the Etihad Stadium. But it was also the first real chance for players to impress their new manager following Pep Guardiola’s departure from the club in May.
While several of City’s best stars were absent as they rest after their efforts in the latter stages of the World Cup, more than 30 players were put through their paces over the last fortnight. Maresca quickly put his ideas across in training and expected those patterns to be carried out in the three matches, while in the background there was transfer business ongoing.
As City return to Manchester, here are four big winners from the trip ahead of the Community Shield and start of the Premier League season.
Antoine Semenyo
There was a glint in the forward's eye as he told reporters in Hong Kong about how the first thing he thought of when he heard Enzo Maresca was coming in was how high the wingers had played at Chelsea and how much he hoped it would be the same at City. Spoiler: It is.
That smile has been hard to shift from Semenyo for all three friendlies as he has gone at his full-back again and again, either from the left or the right. It has worked as well, producing goals and assists as Semenyo has looked the best player on tour. Jeremy Doku will have something to say when he returns to action this week but if City can get the two of them in tandem they are going to take some stopping.
Semenyo instantly became an important player in January because of his knack for goals, and it looks like he is going to continue to have a pivotal role under Maresca.
Divin Mubama
Two goals in his first two friendlies and nearly a third against Atletico in a cameo off the bench. The ball from Phil Foden deserved it, but it was a good save from the goalkeeper.
Mubama looked like he was going to have a terrific season when he bagged a hat-trick on his second appearance for Stoke last season, yet injuries and form brought him back down to earth and he was even booed by his own fans once as things turned sour. An injury then put paid to his year and he arrived back in Manchester with questions to ask.
Having earned starts ahead of Divine Mukasa in Asia - who has had a tour to forget - Mubama has given a reminder of his promise and that has been enough for Southampton to come calling. As they look to push for promotion back to the Premier League again, it will be an excellent switch for Mubama if he can find any kind of goalscoring rhythm.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
An uneventful tour really for Donnarumma in the sense that he played in all three friendlies but had little to do. He made some good saves, there were a few awkward passes, and that was that.
Events elsewhere though mean that he has strengthened his position in the goalkeeping ranks and is now undisputed No.1. He had been anyway last season, but James Trafford had plenty of support among the fanbase and helped his cause by being a key player in both domestic cups - the only trophies City won.
There was a hint that Maresca could see his goalkeeping situation differently given what he has previously wanted from the position, yet there has been none of that. Trafford has been sold permanently to Leeds, and there will not be the same clamour for his replacement Geronimo Rulli given he is not a homegrown player.
Ryan McAidoo
He only played one half of football on the whole tour but it was enough for Maresca and for everyone else to see the potential that he has. Against a team as good as Inter that were ahead of City in their preparations, McAidoo twisted and turned and tormented anybody he came up against and came agonisingly close to scoring.
A shoulder injury then ruled him out of the final two games, although he could be fit to feature in the Community Shield with more days to rest; he was close to team training as the tour was coming to an end. New signing Jeremy Monga said he was hoping to have done enough to stay with the first team squad and get some minutes in the cups.
With McAidoo having done that already last season, and with extra prominence given to wingers under Maresca, staying and getting even more minutes looks like it is on the table for McAidoo. The alternative would be a loan in a very good league where he is guaranteed to play every week, although the romantic option is to stay at City.
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