Likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are yet to respond

Manchester United turned down their invitation in favour of U21 league

EFL Trophy is set to replace Johnstone's Paint Trophy next season

Manchester United have declined an invite from the Football League to take part in the revamped EFL Trophy.

The new-look tournament which replaces the Johnstone's Paint Trophy was announced on Wednesday with invites handed out to 16 Category One Academy sides.

However, United have decided that they will instead focus their attention on the Academy League and the U21 Premier League International Cup.

Manchester United U21s squad celebrate winning the U21s League in April earlier this year

Former Red Devils midfielder Nicky Butt (right) is now in charge of the club's academy operations

The 16 clubs with Category One Academies invited to play were: United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland, Swansea City, Tottenham, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham.

United apart, Everton have confirmed their participation while others, including Liverpool are still to decide.

The invited clubs must ensure that at least six of their starting 11 are under the age of 21 as of June 30 this year.

CATEGORY ONE ACADEMIES INVITED TO TAKE PART IN EFL TROPHY Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland, Swansea City, Tottenham, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham. Advertisement

This season 64 clubs will take part in the competition which now includes a regionalised group stage which begins in late August.

The 16 groups are made up of four teams - one of the invited clubs plus at least one club from both League One and League Two - with the top two sides qualifying for the knockout stages.

Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and an additional point is up for grabs in games that finish level with penalty shoot-outs to take place.

The new EFL Trophy is set to replace the Johnstone's Paint Trophy from next season

The final will be at Wembley Stadium on April 2.

The new look competition will also have an enhanced prize fund with an expected £1.95million being up for grabs, including £10,000 per win and £5,000 per draw during the group stage and £100,000 for the eventual winner.

Several Premier League sides have lobbied for the inclusion of B-teams in the Football League pyramid and the new-look EFL Trophy is seen as a step in that direction.