Manchester United have confirmed their UEFA ‘A’ list squad for the opening phase of the 2024/25 Europa League, with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo excluded.
Erik ten Hag has confirmed his panel for the new-look tournament as he looks to balance his options across several competitions this season.
Victory in the FA Cup final in the final match of last season secured a European qualifying place for United and effectively saved Ten Hag’s job at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag have strengthened their squad with numerous summer signings, including Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte, who are all part of the Europa League squad.
The decision to omit Garnacho and Mainoo will surprise United fans, but a UEFA rule means they remain eligible for the competition.
Can Garnacho and Mainoo play in the Europa League?
The short answer to this question is yes, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo CAN play in the Europa League.
This is based on UEFA rules indicating which players should not be included on the ‘A’ list as club-trained players born after 1 January 2003 and do not need to be included in the main group.
? Our team of 25 players for the 2024/25 season #UEL has been confirmed.#MUFC
-Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 5, 2024
Clubs do not need to confirm ‘B’ lists before each match, but the club has already added Garnacho, Mainoo and Tom Collyer to that list.
What is a UEFA “A” list?
UEFA rules state that an “A” list for a European club competition must not exceed 25 players, with eight of those 25 places reserved for “locally trained players” and no club can have more than four “players trained by an association” among these eight places. .
The locally trained player is classified as:
- Club-trained players who have been on a club’s books for three full seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.
- Association-trained players who have been on the books of another club in the same association for three full seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.
If a club has fewer than eight locally trained players in its squad, the maximum number of players on List A is reduced accordingly.
A player may be placed on List B if he was born on or after 1 January 2003 and has been eligible to play for the relevant club for an uninterrupted period of two years from his 15th birthday, or for a total of three consecutive years. with a maximum of one loan period to a club of the same association for a period not exceeding one year.
Players aged 16 can be registered if they have been registered with the club for the previous two years.
Clubs have the right to register an unlimited number of players on List B during the season, but the list must be submitted no later than 00:00 CET the day before a match.
