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Manchester City central defender Matija Nastasic will miss the start of the new season after being ruled out for at least a month by an ankle injury.
The 20-year-old Serbia international was injured during the recent Barclays Asia Trophy clash with Sunderland and now faces up to six weeks on the sidelines.
Nastasic only joined City a year ago from Fiorentina and went on to make 25 appearances in all competitions in his first season in England.
The absence of Nastasic as the new campaign gets underway means that Joleon Lescott is likely to partner captain Vincent Kompany at the heart of the City defence.
The Citizens are3.25to win the Premier League title next season, with reigning champions Manchester United3.50and Chelsea3.25.
Meanwhile, better news for City came as striker Sergio Aguero returned to training after knee problems kept him out of the whole of the pre-season programme to date.
The Argentinian faces renewed competition for a starting spot with City, with new manager Manuel Pellegrini having brought in Alvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic to boost his strikeforce.
Pellegrini has also snapped up Spain winger Jesus Navas from Sevilla and Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk.
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