The 16 invited under-21 teams for the 2017/18 Checkatrade Trophy have been confirmed today.
Newcomers Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Fulham will be taking their place in next season’s competition.
Premier League champions Chelsea will again take part and will be joined by 11 other under-21 sides from England’s top flight, as the country’s leading Category One Academies look to pit their stars against professionals, young and old, from the 48 League One and League Two teams.
Four EFL Clubs will have under-21 sides involved, with Sunderland, Middlesbrough, and Reading joining Fulham in the group stage draw, which will take place in July, with the first round of fixtures scheduled to take place the week
commencing 28th August.
The full list of invited under-21 sides is as follows:
Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea
Everton
Fulham
Leicester City
Manchester City
Middlesbrough
Newcastle United
Reading
Southampton
Stoke City
Sunderland
Swansea City
Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion
West Ham United