Walker, Cancelo, Laporte included in Manchester City’s tour squad but Mahrez left out

Kyle Walker has been included in the Manchester City squad for their pre-season trip to Japan, despite transfer interest from Bayern Munich.

Fellow full-back Joao Cancelo has also been included in the squad amid uncertainty over his long-term future.

Riyad Mahrez has, though, been allowed to not travel with the rest of the 25-man party as he nears a deal to join Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli, who have agreed a deal to sign the 32-year-old in a deal worth €35million (£30.4m, $39.2m) plus €5m in add-ons.

City have been aware of the possibility of losing Mahrez this summer and have been drawing up plans to replace him with a new winger in case he were to approve the transfer.

City do not want not to let Walker go and have offered him a new deal but the 33-year-old has reached a verbal agreement to join Bayern.

Nothing is officially agreed, but the defender, whose contract expires next summer, is said to like the idea of playing a prominent role in the Bundesliga champions team next season.

City are set to face Bayern next week at the Japan National Stadium as part of their pre-season tour, but as of yet, it is unclear which team Walker will be representing at that game.

GO DEEPER

Why Walker could leave City this summer

Cancelo, meanwhile, has returned to City after Bayern Munich opted against triggering their €70million (£61.6m, $76.3m) option to make his loan deal to the club permanent, however his future remains uncertain.

The Athletic previously reported that the 29-year-old’s relationship with manager Pep Guardiola had begun to become fractured last season, which led to Cancelo joining Bayern last January.

The defender, who has four years remaining on his contract, was seen training back home in Portugal alongside new Arsenal signing Declan Rice and international team-mates Bruno Fernandes and Rafael Leao earlier this summer.

GO DEEPER

Problematic? Yes. But Saudi is the cash cow the Premier League needs

While accepting Mahrez may leave, City have also doubled down on attempts to keep Bernardo Silva, who has also been approached by Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.

City would like to keep both Mahrez and Bernardo, but realise that the Algerian winger is open to the move away. What the treble winners do not want to do is lose both players, and they are intent on keeping Bernardo.

This is the second consecutive summer that Bernardo’s future at the club has been in doubt.

Last summer, The Athletic reported that the Portugal international was attracting interest from Barcelona and was keen on a move.

Silva, who joined the club from Monaco in 2017, still has two years left on his contract and is yet to commit his future to the treble winners.

Aymeric Laporte has also been named in the squad but his future at the City is also in doubt, amid their interest in signing RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.

The 29-year-old, who has two years left on his contract, made only 24 appearances in all competitions last season, 12 of those coming in the Premier League.

The Athletic reported earlier this week that City are confident that the Spain international defender will leave the club this summer.