Manchester United can name a maximum of 25 players for next season’s Champions League with strict rules on who can and can’t be selected
Manchester United stars Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Kobbie Mainoo may all miss out on the Reds’ Champions League List A squad(Image: Kevin C. Cox – Premier League/Getty Images)
Manchester United returned to the Champions League on Sunday for the first time since 2023. Their 3-2 victory over Liverpool ensured they cannot finish lower than fifth this season but third spot in the Premier League is a real possibility. Excitement is already building for the return of Champions League nights to Old Trafford.
But before the Reds can look ahead to walking out at a packed Theatre of Dreams, United must get their plans in order. One of the first tasks will be to organise their squad list for the competition. This will require some potentially difficult decisions.
Teams in the Champions League can register no more than 25 players in List A. 17 of those spots can go to any player. However, eight are reserved for ‘locally trained players’. Of those eight, no more than four can be ‘association trained’.
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‘Locally trained players’ are those who were on United’s books for three entire seasons or of 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21. ‘Association trained players’ are those who were on another club’s books in the same association for three entire seasons or of 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.
Out of the current first-team squad, Tom Heaton counts as a ‘locally trained player’. Meanwhile, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Mason Mount fill the ‘association trained player’ category. Kobbie Mainoo would class as a ‘locally trained player’ while Ayden Heaven would fill the ‘association trained player’ position.
However, they, alongside Leny Yoro, may be left off List A. This is because the trio are all eligible to be registered on List B.
List B has unlimited places and is eligible for players who were born on or after January 1, 2005 and have been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years since his 15th birthday by the time he is registered with UEFA. Or, for a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year.
Those registered in List B can play in the Champions League for United and shall consist of a lot of academy players including Shea Lacey, Chido Obi and Jack and Tyler Fletcher. Registering Yoro, Mainoo and Heaven among them on List B would open up spots for other players and potential new signings.
It is understood Elliot Anderson is United’s top target to replace Casemiro while Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is also on their shortlist. The duo would both count towards the ‘association player’ quota were they to sign.
If Brighton’s Carlos Baleba was to join, he would need one of the unrestricted spots. As would players like Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni and RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande.
Interestingly, Yoro does not count as a ‘locally trained’ or ‘association player’ right now. However next summer, so long as Yoro does not go out on loan, he would qualify as a ‘locally trained player’ because he will have spent three entire seasons at Old Trafford between the ages of 15 and 21.
So with this in mind, based on the information provided for last season’s competition, here is how the United Champions League squad could look next season with no further outgoings or new signings.
Goalkeepers – Lammens, Bayindir, Heaton
Defenders – De Ligt, Martinez, Maguire, Dorgu, Shaw, Dalot, Mazraoui
Midfielders – Ugarte, Fernandes, Mount,
Forwards – Mbeumo, Amad, Cunha, Sesko, Zirkzee
Importantly, United could add a further three players without registration restrictions to this squad. Plus, another ‘association player’ and three ‘locally trained players’ to complete a squad of 25.
