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New York Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Manchester City Transfer DealSheet: Summer window latest, key positions and available players
Manchester City have just experienced their toughest season under Pep Guardiola, and the summer is expected to see numerous changes among the playing and coaching staff as they look to bounce back from it. Albeit a third-place finish in the Premier League and being runners-up in the FA Cup being seen a disappointments shows the standards set since Guardiola arrived nine years ago, but however it is looked at, their struggles last season need rectifying. Advertisement There are already changes being announced among the coaching staff, and on the pitch, following several signings in the January window, City will bring in some new faces, while losing others. Here, The Athletic looks at what to expect from the deposed champions' summer. Summer 2025 marks a period of transition for City in this regard. Txiki Begiristain, who was director of football at Barcelona between 2003 and 2010 and has held the same title at City since 2012, is leaving after the Club World Cup, which runs to July 13. He is being replaced by Hugo Viana, who was expected to see out the season with Sporting CP but left the Portuguese club at the end of the January window and officially started work at City in April. The club have been doing all they can to ensure a smooth handover, which is why Begiristain is staying on until after the upcoming competition in the United States, with the new mini-transfer window before that tournament being a key time to make moves. City Football Group chief executive Ferran Soriano remains in place, but Riccardo Bigon is another fresh voice in the decision-making ranks. He was appointed City Football Group's new global football technical director in October after six years as sporting director at Italian club Bologna. There is the possibility that Ederson, their first-choice goalkeeper of the past eight years, could leave, so a new face at that position might be on the cards. Stefan Ortega is an able deputy but the German also left his future in doubt over recent months. So, too, are the full-back positions, where Guardiola took to deploying midfielders Matheus Nunes and Nico O'Reilly due to the lack of options over the season's final months. We reported on Monday that City are pursuing a deal to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Advertisement The gaping hole left by club great Kevin De Bruyne, who announced in April that he is leaving City this summer at the end of his contract, also needs to be filled. There is unlikely to be one single player who can replicate his creative output, so a mixture of ones already at the club and a couple of additions looks to be the formula. Another wide player is also likely, with Jack Grealish's slide down the pecking order leaving only Jeremy Doku and Savinho as conventional wingers. To condense the squad. In an era where most elite managers are pleading for bigger squads to cope with the relentless schedule at the top of the game, Guardiola is railing against that thinking. 'I don't want to leave five or six players in the tribune (stand, having been left out of the matchday squad),' he said, after the 3-1 win against Bournemouth in May. 'I don't want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay. I don't want to have 24, 25, 26 players when everyone is fit. If I have injuries, (then we're) unlucky; we have some players from the academy, and we do it.' As well as Ait-Nouri, City are keen on Milan's Tijjani Reijnders. The Netherlands international recently named Serie A midfielder of the year would fill one of the No 8 spots that City are lacking players for. Turning 27 in July, Reijnders is entering his peak years compared to would-be team-mates Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, who will be 35 and 31 respectively early next season. City were interested in Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz, but Liverpool appear to be his preferred destination. They are exploring a deal for Lyon's Rayan Cherki, while Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White is another player City under consideration to bolster their midfield options. Ederson is open to a move to the Saudi Pro League, which could have happened last summer had a club there met City's valuation. He only has one year remaining on his contract. Grealish is another who could fetch a significant fee. He was a spare part for most of last season, starting only seven Premier League games, being left on the bench 12 times and failing to make the squad on the final day of the season with Champions League qualification at stake. Advertisement Fellow England international John Stones could potentially move on if clubs come in with the right sort of offers. He managed only 13 starts in all competitions last season and with Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov to pick from, City may be carrying an extra central-defensive body when everyone is fit. Claudio Echeverri could be a player City Football Group uses its network to develop. He was signed from River Plate in January 2024 but was loaned back to them so he could play first-team minutes in Argentina. He eventually made his City debut as a substitute in the FA Cup final defeat last month, in which he spurned several big chances, and it could be that the 19-year-old is one who needs to play more before being expected to perform in the Premier League. Agreements still need to be reached between City and Wolves for Ait-Nouri, but all parties now expect a move to happen. City also had an opening bid for Rejnders rejected last week, and the clubs remain apart on a fee. Rejnders only signed a new deal in March, which ties him to Milan until 2030, so they are keen to extract top value for one of their star players. It is expected that City will return with an improved offer. City are in a healthy position, even after their £183million ($248m) January spree. They should be able to invest heavily this summer in refreshing the squad. In the three years to the end of last season, City booked a cumulative pre-tax profit of £195.9million. Using a combination of estimates and figures disclosed in the accounts, The Athletic's BookKeeper projected City's PSR headroom in last season's calculation came to around £324m. The fees for Nico Gonzalez, Omar Marmoush, Khusanov and Reis will be spread across four and a half years, and City also brought in big money by selling Julian Alvarez, Joao Cancelo and Liam Delap. (Top photos: Reijnders, left, and Gibbs-White; Getty Images)
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pep Guardiola holds conversation with transfer target as Manchester City deal nears completion
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reportedly held one-to-one talks with a primary transfer target as a deal nears completion this summer. Hugo Viana – Manchester City's incoming director of football – has been hard at work aiming to reshape a squad that significantly fell below the standards set out at the Etihad Stadium by Pep Guardiola during the last season. Advertisement A mixture of ageing stars and injuries led to the club struggling to compete for any major silverware as seriously as they have done in previous campaigns, coming closest in the FA Cup Final but falling short to Crystal Palace. Now, alongside assistant and support from outgoing sporting director Txiki Begiristain, Viana is simultaneously looking to bring in multiple new stars ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup which begins later this month. And among the priority positions to be addressed by Manchester City through the transfer market is the creative midfield role, due to be left vacated by Kevin De Bruyne as he closes in on a free transfer to Napoli to end a legendary 10-year stay at the Etihad Stadium. Advertisement According to market insider Fabrizio Romano, Pep Guardiola has now been in contact with Lyon's Rayan Cherki in recent days, with Manchester City's negotiations for the midfielder 'advancing well' after direct contact was made with the Ligue 1 outfit. With City confident of reaching an agreement soon, the club have also spoken directly to the player and his agents about contractual terms, their project and vision, while Guardiola has reportedly ensured the player is aligned ahead of a potential future together. Any potential deal for Rayan Cherki would no doubt surface speculation concerning the future of Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White – a target for Manchester City coming into the ongoing summer transfer window. Etihad Stadium bosses were understood to be the frontrunners for the England international, who is likely to have commanded a transfer fee in excess of £70 million, although it now remains to be seen whether City officials deem such an additional expenditure as necessary. Additional business for the likes of Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain is expected to take the club to Milan as they finalise a move for central midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, while there is also confidence over completing an agreement with Wolves for left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Manchester City monitoring Gianluigi Donnarumma's contract talks with PSG
Manchester City are lurking in the background as Gianluigi Donnarumma holds contract talks with Paris Saint-Germain after winning the UEFA Champions League title, as per a new report. The 26-year-old was in net for the high-flying French outfit who cruised their way to a sensational treble on Saturday courtesy of a stylish 5-0 battering of a meagre Inter side at the Allianz Arena. Advertisement Donnarumma has lifted his maiden UEFA Champions League title after years of failure in Paris and has been one of Luis Enrique's most eye-catching players in a team that has conquered all before itself en route to Ligue 1 and European glory this term. However, the Italy international, who received huge plaudits for his heroics in the 2021 European Championship penalty shootout win over England, faces an uncertain future at the Parc des Princes as he enters the final 12 months of his contract. Manchester City have recruited Hugo Viana to take over from Txiki Begiristain as director of football in the summer and are likely to enter the market for a new goalkeeper as Ederson continues to draw interest from Saudi Arabia amidst uncertainty over the future of Stefan Ortega Moreno. Advertisement Pep Guardiola is eyeing four to five first-team additions ahead of the 2025-26 campaign and Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak recently outlined the club's plans to announce all new signings in time for the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins in mid-June. City are closing in on deals to sign Lyon's Rayan Cherki and AC Milan's Tijjani Reijnders to begin their squad overhaul as Kevin De Bruyne nears a two-year move to Napoli after being told he does not feature in the club's plans next season. Guardiola will also have a new full-back in his ranks as Kyle Walker searches for a new club after returning from a loan spell at AC Milan, with Manchester City making it clear they are in the market for a new wide defender as they look to sell their former club captain. As per a new report by Gianluca Di Marzio, Manchester City are waiting for Gianluigi Donnarumma to make a decision on his future at Paris Saint-Germain as they look to bolster their options in goal after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Advertisement Ederson wanted to leave for Saudi Arabia last summer but a transfer failed to materialise and Ortega Moreno has not convinced Guardiola to take over as number one should the former leave the 2023 treble winners after eight seasons at the Etihad Stadium. It is understood that none of PSG's current renewal offers have met Donnarumma's financial expectations and Manchester City remain in a strong financial position after a few years of lucrative academy and first-team sales should they pursue their interest in the Italian shotstopper. It remains to be seen if City do seriously target Donnarumma but after keeping a clean sheet in the UEFA Champions League final victory over Inter Milan, it is likely that all parties reach a middle ground and shake hands to tie the 26-year-old down to fresh terms in the French capital.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Pep Guardiola has new coach for Club World Cup as Manchester City make plans for backroom staff
Manchester City 's Under-21 manager Ben Wilkinson will join Pep Guardiola 's backroom team for the Club World Cup. Wilkinson, the son of former Leeds boss Howard, guided City's youngsters to the Premier League 2 title – beating Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United in the playoff stage before overpowering Southampton in this month's final. The 38-year-old is set to link up with City's first team alongside assistant Craig Mudd when they arrive in Florida for a camp ahead of the summer tournament. Guardiola's staff will be reduced by the time they head for America, with assistant Juanma Lillo leaving the club as well as both Inigo Dominguez and Carlos Vicens. The coaching shake up coincides with new director of football Hugo Viana's appointment and City's sluggish season. Mail Sport revealed earlier in the week that there had been some confusion among the backroom staff after the offer of contract renewals had been delayed. City are thought to be moving forward with new deals this week but Guardiola will need fresh voices ahead of next year. Having won last year's FA Youth Cup, Wilkinson has impressed since taking the Under 21s from Brian Barry-Murphy, who had become an integral member of staff during Guardiola's training sessions. City's Under 19s, led by Wilkinson, also reached the UEFA Youth League quarter-finals, losing out to the 2023 winners AZ Alkmaar. Wilkinson's invitation to form part of Guardiola's staff for the summer points to a host of youngsters making the trip. His role will be similar to that of Barry-Murphy's previously, with an onus on setting up the academy players in the shape of opposition. Divin Mubama, Divine Mukasa, Reigan Heskey, Ryan McAidoo and Stephan Mfuni are among those to have shone at age group levels. 'More than anything I think it justifies the work we have done all year,' Wilkinson said after clinching the Premier League 2 title. 'There have also been some great opportunities to stretch the players and put them in the environment we want them to experience.'
The National
7 days ago
- Business
- The National
Manchester City 2024/25 season review and player ratings: Marmoush 7, Grealish 4, Foden 4
Season synopsis Premier League final position: 3rd Uefa Champions League: Knockout phase play-offs, lost 6-3 on aggregate to Real Madrid Given their recent history of almost constant success, it's hard to view Manchester City's 2024/25 campaign as anything other than one of failure. Their league form dipped horribly after a season-ending injury to key midfielder Rodri before a late rally to secure third place. There was little respite in the domestic cups, with an early exit in the League Cup and a chastening FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace ending any lingering hopes of silverware. City's Champions League campaign never got going and a heavy knockout phase defeat to Real Madrid felt inevitable by the time it came around. With club stalwarts like Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker leaving, several formerly key players out of favour, and a group of January recruits still trying to find their feet, City suddenly feels like a team in transition. With more ins and outs expected in the summer it's vital they rediscover their Midas touch in the market. A big test awaits City's new sporting director Hugo Viana. Then, of course, there is the matter of the 115 charges hanging over the club for alleged financial transgressions. The former Manchester United player and prominent pundit Gary Neville this week said it was a 'disgrace' that the case is yet to be resolved heading into the summer. Best performance of the season Man City 4-0 Newcastle: Omar Marmoush scored a 14-minute hat-trick as City blew Newcastle away 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium back in February. Given City's struggles, the Magpies had high hopes of improving on their dismal record at the Etihad but ran into an inspired Marmoush and a City side looking more like their old selves. James Mcatee added the fourth late on with Newcastle "painful to watch", according to boss Eddie Howe. Worst performance of the season Man City 1-2 Man Utd: Take your pick really. The 4-0 home thrashing by Spurs, the 5-1 hammering at Arsenal, the Feyenoord game or any number of late collapses. Let's settle on this December 15 capitulation against City's hated rivals United. The hosts never played well but had victory within their grasp before folding late in the day. Bruno Fernandes (pen) and Amad Diallo scored in the space of a few minutes to complete a dramatic turnaround in front of a stunned and angry Etihad Stadium. Thriller of the season Man City 2-2 Arsenal: Before City's form nosedived they battled back to snatch a late draw against Arsenal, their closest rivals in the last two seasons, in one of the best games from the first part of the season. City led through Erling Haaland then trailed to goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel before Leandro Trossard saw red for the visitors on the stroke of half-time. The Gunners dug in bravely to preserve their advantage until John Stones bundled home City's 28th effort on goal deep into injury time. Haaland told Mikel Arteta to 'stay humble', words fed back to him with interest when Arsenal demolished City 5-1 in the reverse fixture. Player of the season Josko Gvardiol: The Croatian has enjoyed a strong individual season during a difficult campaign for the team. His versatility has been a plus, with him splitting his playing time between left-back and, with increasing maturity, as a centre-back. At 23, there is still plenty more to come. Goal of the season Omar Marmoush v Bournemouth: Given too much space and time but how he took advantage. Absolutely unstoppable effort from the Egyptian. Manager Pep Guardiola – 5 For the first time in a very long time the Catalan managerial great looked fallible. Rodri's injury threw his plans into disarray and for months City looked like one of the poorest coached outfits in the division as their attacking output shrivelled and teams repeatedly killed them in transition. That's not to mention the numerous panic-stricken late collapses. There are too many stats to mention, but if it is a negative one pertaining to Guardiola's managerial record then it likely happened in 2024/25. Goalkeepers Ederson – 6 Niggles and talk of a move to Saudi Arabia have followed him around this season. Deserves a solid rating if only for his four Premier League assists. Stefan Ortega – 5 Had opportunities but was unconvincing. Drew his manager's rage after the draw at Bentford and shipped five against Arsenal. Defenders Kyle Walker - 3 Former captain looked a shadow of himself before being farmed out on loan to AC Milan. Matheus Nunes - 5.5 Signed as a midfielder but usually deployed at right back, the Portuguese was hammered by his manager in the media but kept plugging away in his new role. Manuel Akanji – 4.5 Nowhere near as reliable as last season in terms of availability or performance levels. Ruben Dias – 5 Another player who struggled for form and fitness. Did belatedly find both at the tail end of the season and partnership with Gvardiol bodes well for next year. John Stones – 4 Still a magnificent player whose body is letting him down. Abdukodir Khusanov – 5 Did well to recover from a nightmarish full league debut. Has raw materials to work with, but a long way to go. Nathan Ake – 4 Simply missed too many games. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey – 5.5 Academy prospect thrown in at the deep end. Could do with a loan to develop further. Josko Gvardiol – 7 Put an error-strewn start to the season behind him to emerge with plenty of credit. Looked better in his preferred centre-back role. Nico O'Reilly – 7 Made a terrific contribution and scored vital goals – particularly in the FA Cup – playing out of position at left-back. Looks ready for more minutes. Midfielders Ilkay Gundogan – 5 Looked shot at the start of the season and through the grim winter months but managed to finish strongly. Mateo Kovacic – 6 Played in most of the games – the good, the bad and the ugly. At times part of the problem but deserves praise for sticking at it. Chipped in with seven goals as well. Bernardo Silva – 6 Again a victim of his own versatility as he was asked to plug gaps week in and week out. Unsurprisingly, his creativity dimmed but earns credit for his effort and sacrifice. Nico Gonzalez – 6 One of the more successful January signings, Nico showed flashes of his quality but was used sparingly in the closing stages of the season. James McAtee – 5.5 Talent is there to see but not fully trusted by Guardiola. May need to look elsewhere. Phil Foden – 4 Astonishing drop off after a stellar 2023/24. Needs to regroup over the summer and hopefully we will see the Foden of old next term. Kevin De Bruyne – 4 World-class ability remains but has lost that change of gear that was so crucial to his impact on games. Serie A could suit him well at this stage. Savinho – 4.5 Ultimately flattered to deceive. Ability is there but so rarely impacted games. Jeremy Doku – 4.5 See above. Jack Grealish – 4 Completely frozen out by Guardiola. Needs a move immediately to salvage his career. Forwards Omar Marmoush – 7 Thrown into a mid-season crisis, the Egyptian coped admirably and showed plenty of promise. Hopes are high he can have an even bigger impact next term. Erling Haaland – 6.5 Started the season strongly but – like so many of his teammates – fell below his own lofty standards. Still managed 31 goals across all competitions in what was a mediocre campaign on a personal level.
