Manchester City defenders Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha are on course to regain full fitness in time for the start of the new season.

Both players stayed in Manchester for treatment on injuries while the rest of the squad travelled to the Far East for an end-of-season tour.

Richards missed the latter part of City's Premier League campaign following knee surgery while Onuoha did not play after dislocating his shoulder at the beginning of April.

But Blues physiotherapist Ally Beattie is pleased with pair's progress and is confident they will be fit again once the squad reconvene in July for pre-season training.

"Micah has been working hard with us after the season finished, and he's at the stage now where if the season was still on now he'd be able to fully train and probably play," Beattie told the club's official website. "He'll be ready for pre-season."

Beattie added: "Having dislocated his shoulder, Nedum was never going to fit again before the end of the season but he's made excellent progress with his rehab and he'll also be ready for pre-season."

Next season will come earlier than usual for City as they begin their UEFA Cup campaign in July, having qualified by way of the Premier League Fair Play league.

But doubts remain as to whether Sven-Goran Eriksson will still be in charge at Eastlands come the first qualifying round tie on June 17 after owner Thaksin Shinawatra refused to back the Swede near the end of the season.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport