No one could’ve foreseen the struggles Manchester City have endured this campaign, especially coming into the season looking to claim their fifth successive Premier League title.
Pep Guardiola’s side have lost nine times in their 28 outings - an unthinkable tally - especially given their previous success during the last few years of his reign.
The FA Cup remains the only trophy they can win in 2024/25 after being knocked out of all other competitions - highlighting how dismal the campaign has been for the Citizens.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Matheus Nunes react
A rebuild is desperately needed in the summer, continuing from the work in January, with new signings needed to push the side back towards the summit of the division.
Key players have also failed to deliver at crucial stages of the season, with two players needing to be on top form if they are to right the wrongs of this season.
Rodri & Phil Foden’s stats for City in 2024/25
Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has been ruled out of action since the end of September with an ACL injury, with his presence greatly missed at the heart of the side.
The Spaniard looks set to return for the start of next season, hopefully able to reach the levels he achieved before his setback, allowing the side to compete for titles once again.
rodri-man-city
As for midfielder Phil Foden, he’s struggled to match his displays from the last campaign, which saw him claim the PFA Player of the Year award, showcasing the levels he produced.
However, this time around, he’s been largely inconsistent, unable to match his previous form, only registering seven goals and two assists in his 23 league outings.
Both players will certainly remain pivotal to any revival that takes place in 2025/26, but the same can’t be said for one player who needs to offload during the summer window.
The City player who earns more than Foden & Rodri
Over the years, City have made some stellar signings, helping them reach the heights they’ve previously hit, with Erling Haaland undoubtedly one of the best additions in their history.
The Norwegian striker has notched a staggering 118 goals in 136 appearances, worth every penny of the fee they forked out to land the talisman back in the summer of 2022.
Haaland
However, midfielder İlkay Gündoğan was a player who was part of a fairytale reunion in the summer, rejoining the club after leaving for Barcelona just 12 months prior.
The German was a fan-favourite during his first spell, scoring twice on the final day against Aston Villa in 2021/22, securing another league title for Guardiola and the Citizens.
It’s safe to say his second spell hasn’t been as successful, as he has struggled to nail down a regular place and has been looking past his best when called upon over the last couple of months.
The now 34-year-old has only started 16 times to date, with his showing against Real Madrid in the Champions League evidence that he’s not at the top level like he once was.
ilkay gundogan
His contract is set to expire in the summer and given his age and lack of positive displays, it would be no surprise to see the club allow him to depart to conduct the next stage of their rebuild.
However, when taking his wages into account, it is a no-brainer to allow him to depart, with Gundogan currently earning a staggering £230k-per-week at the Etihad.
|Man City's highest earners in 2024/25|
|Rank|Player|Gross pay per week|Gross pay per year|
|---|
|1|Erling Haaland|£525,000|£27,300,000|
|2|Kevin de Bruyne|£400,000|£20,800,000|
|=3|Bernardo Silva|£300,000|£15,600,000|
|=3|Jack Grealish|£300,000|£15,600,000|
|5|Omar Marmoush|£295,000|£15,340,000|
|6|John Stones|£250,000|£13,000,000|
|7|İlkay Gündoğan|£230,000|£11,960,000|
|8|Phil Foden|£225,000|£11,700,000|
|9|Rodri|£220,000|£11,440,000|
|10|Josko Gvardiol|£200,000|£10,440,000|
|Stats via Capology|
His subsequent earnings are higher than those of Foden and Rodri, with the first-team stars currently earning £225k and £220k-per-week respectively, despite their personal successes in recent times.
It would be a brutal call to make, but given the drop-off endured by the club in 2024/25, action needs to be taken in the summer to prevent a similar situation from occurring once again.
Funds are needed to provide the manager with the opportunity to strengthen the squad and complete an overhaul, with the German’s wages going a long way to offer new alternatives elsewhere.
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