By Martin Graham
Just 24 days after their final Premier League match of the 2024-25 campaign, Manchester City are back in action as they begin their Club World Cup journey in the United States. Despite a challenging previous season, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has framed this tournament as the start of a fresh chapter.
The team’s opening game comes against Moroccan champions Wydad AC in Philadelphia, with City entering as favorites after strengthening their squad. Manager Pep Guardiola described the tournament as a special opportunity to unite players and fans across continents, emphasizing the global nature of the game.
With FIFA expanding the competition to 32 teams, president Gianni Infantino declared a “new era” in football. Guardiola’s squad appears to reflect that shift, with major squad changes and fresh energy injected ahead of the new campaign.
Transfers reshape squad and coaching team
Manchester City invested over £100m ahead of the tournament, following a disappointing season where they missed out on all major trophies. Finishing third in the league, suffering early elimination from the Champions League, and losing the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace marked a rare trophyless year under Guardiola.
Key figures have left the club, including long-serving midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. In his place, City welcomed £43m Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan and French attacker Rayan Cherki from Lyon for £30.45m. Former Wolves full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, signed for £31m, gives City a natural left-sided defender for the first time since Benjamin Mendy.
Returning to fitness are Rodri and Oscar Bobb, both of whom missed large parts of last season. Additional reinforcements, such as Claudio Echeverri from River Plate and winter signings Nico Gonzalez, Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis, and Abdukodir Khusanov, bring the total number of new players since January to nine.
The squad now includes 34 players, prompting Guardiola to signal that exits are likely. Kalvin Phillips, Jack Grealish, and Kyle Walker were not included in the 27-man Club World Cup squad, with all three potentially heading for departures.
Bernardo Silva, who enters the final year of his contract, has committed to staying and was appointed club captain. He acknowledged past interest from other clubs but confirmed his decision to remain at City.
Changes extended to the backroom staff, with the addition of Pep Lijnders as assistant coach after his spell at Liverpool. Lijnders led training sessions at Lynn University in Florida, focusing on tempo and precision. Former defender Kolo Toure was also involved during preparations.
Last season’s struggles were compounded by Rodri’s knee injury early in the campaign. The midfielder made his return late in the season and is now fully fit. New signing Cherki spoke of Rodri’s influence and the ambition that comes with joining City.
With stars like Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, and Silva all available, the squad is equipped for a deep run. Their Group G campaign could hinge on the match against Juventus on 26 June in Orlando. Finishing top would ease their path through New York, while second place may lead to a high-stakes clash with Real Madrid in Miami.
