Vitor Reis engaged in physical training plan as start to Manchester City life beckons | OneFootball

Man City defender Vitor Reis is physically preparing himself for his first full season in English football off the back of a season-long loan at Girona.

Reis joined City from Brazilian side Palmeiras in January 2025 but made just four senior appearances – totalling to 226 minutes – before being sent out to the Spanish top-flight to progress his development with regular first-team playing opportunities.

The 20-year-old centre-half spent the 2025-26 campaign on loan at Girona, where he established himself as one of the most reliable young centre-backs in La Liga, racking up 3,287 minutes in all competitions for the Catalan outfit last term.

With Girona relegated to Spain’s second tier, incoming Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has already signalled his intention to bring Reis back into the first-team picture at the Etihad Stadium for the 2026-27 season, ending any uncertainty over a fresh loan elsewhere.

Barcelona were among the clubs to register their own interest in the centre-back following Girona’s relegation, though City’s stance on integrating him into Maresca’s squad has remained unchanged throughout.

With pre-season now edging closer, attention has turned to how Reis is using the off-season itself to get ready for regular Premier League football, with City embarking upon a new era following the notable departure of Guardiola after a decade in Manchester.

Bocatto: Reis being monitored ‘100% of the time’ this summer

According to ESPN’s Daniel Bocatto, Reis is using the off-season to focus on ‘gaining weight and arriving stronger’ for his return to Manchester City, combining strength work in the gym with field-based sessions alongside a physiotherapist.

The young defender has also adjusted his diet to support healthier eating habits geared toward lean muscle gain, with regular blood tests being carried out to establish whether any additional supplementation is required.

Even time away on holiday has reportedly not interrupted the process, with Reis said to be ‘monitored 100 percent of the time’ – including during recovery sessions and while sleeping – as part of a closely managed programme.

What does Reis’s preparation mean for Manchester City?

The intensity of the regime underlines how seriously Reis is treating his preparation, with the player widely expected to walk straight into contention for senior minutes once Maresca’s squad reports back for training.

City’s defensive picture remains in flux elsewhere, with John Stones already departed and Ruben Dias the subject of growing transfer speculation from Real Madrid, meaning greater opportunity could open up for Reis regardless of how that situation resolves.

Barcelona’s interest earlier in the window appears to have done little to unsettle Reis’s own focus, with his physical programme suggesting he is preparing as though his Manchester City future is already settled rather than facing a fresh exit elsewhere.

Whether that translates into a regular starting role under Maresca from August remains to be seen, but City’s hierarchy will view the diligence of his off-season work as an encouraging early sign for a player they have long earmarked as part of the post-Guardiola rebuild.