An early exit from the Champions League, an FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace and a fourth round League Cup defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur - Manchester City’s season couldn’t have been worse when compared against Pep Guardiola’s towering standards.
The eight-time Premier League champions have had their worst run under the Catalan due to defensive frailties, injuries, a lack of dominance against other major opposition and dips in form.
But what is important now is that Guardiola makes amends to try and take City back to the summit of not only English football, but world football.
What part of Guardiola’s squad needs strengthening?
As star-studded as City gets, it’s relatively easy to find spaces that require strengthening, even if it’s not urgent.
Throughout their most recent campaign, where Guardiola’s side finished fourth and gained entry into next season’s Champions League, injuries were rife and were sought as the main reason why they underperformed.
And although this is somewhat true, it also came down to Guardiola’s inability to recover from Rodri’s anterior cruciate ligament injury against Arsenal at the beginning of the season.
This is why the club needs to look for improvements in the centre midfield role. Reports have speculated that a move for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders is imminent due to City’s interest in his intelligent, composed and all-action approach to midfield football.
Reijnders is set for a £50m move to City (Photo by Guiseppe Cottini/Getty Images)
Reijnders is set for a £50m move to City (Photo by Guiseppe Cottini/Getty Images)
Like Rodri, Reijnders is talented at controlling the tempo of games and distributing the ball without fear, even when he is pressed heavily.
Not only that, but his offensive capabilities mean he is effective in tight spaces and, by dragging defenders and/or midfielders out of position, will grant others like Erling Haaland more space in attack.
Other areas that could improve are the full back positions. Although Josko Gvardiol was the club’s greatest player last season, his native position is centre back and could come in handy for Guardiola if he was to revert back.
This isn’t to say staying in the left-back position is a bad thing in Gvardiol’s case, but the other side, where Matheus Nunes has covered for the entire season, is where most of City’s problems are established.
Guardiola has developed Nunes into a much better player than he was at Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022, but he doesn’t quite reach the standard of what City are expecting of him.
Ait-Nouri has been of City's interest for many seasons (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Ait-Nouri has been of City's interest for many seasons (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Another Wolves player, however, in Rayan Ait-Nouri, has proven otherwise as he reaches an agreement with City on a potential move this summer.
The Algeria international is one of the most exciting prospects in the Premier League at the moment and would come in useful to Guardiola’s ambitions of rising back to the top of English football’s summit.
That too would cover up gaps in the defence or, as we’ve seen in the past with his lessons in versatility, midfield.
Who is Guardiola's top-priority target?
Through all the rumours and ifs and buts of summer transfers, there lies the signing that is seen as more important than others.
This, for City, is Rayan Cherki from Lyon. The 21-year-old has impressed for many years in the French Ligue 1 and will likely take the jump to the Premier League this season.
The attacking midfielder is entering the final year of his contract with Lyon but the French club are holding out for a deal at a minimum of €30m (25.2m) and are trying to avoid a cut-price deal.
Cherki made 31 contributions in 42 games in Ligue 1 and the
Cherki made 31 contributions in 42 games in Ligue 1 and the Europa League combined this season (Photo by Neal Simpson/Allstar/Getty Images)
Cherki has exceptional intelligence in football because of an astounding vision and creativity which makes it odd that more clubs aren’t interested in him - even at such a low cost in today’s market.
He manages to glide past defenders with an excellent aptness and can play on either wing, as a central attacking midfielder or as an advanced central midfielder that sits a tad deeper.
In the 2024-25 season just gone, Cherki supplied 11 assists and scored eight goals in 30 Ligue 1 games, while gaining 12 contributions in the Europa League in as many appearances.
Three possible departures — who could leave this summer?
After 369 appearances and an impressive eight assists, it could be time for goalkeeper Ederson to part ways with City after he admitted to being open to a move.
The Saudi Pro League is his most probable destination given his age, but that doesn’t take away the fact that he is simply one of the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history.
Reports have suggested a move to Saudi Arabia is likely due to their longing interest in the Brazil goalkeeper; he is also entering the final year of his contract which often leads to additional speculation to a move elsewhere.
Bernardo Silva and Ederson could both leave the club this summer (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Bernardo Silva and Ederson could both leave the club this summer (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Another departure could come from Bernardo Silva, who has been linked with a return to Portugal to play for Benfica.
But that move in particular comes with plenty of doubt due to the fact that the Liga Portugal side can’t pay the City midfielder’s release clause - a negotiated deal separate from that clause would be required.
Past interest has come from Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and multiple Saudi Pro League clubs, but the only real suitor would be the Middle East as, at 30 years of age, the other two clubs have their fair share of talent already.
Nunes has been at City since 2023 (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Nunes has been at City since 2023 (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Heartfelt departures have been seen across East Manchester this summer after Kevin de Bruyne wasn’t offered a new contract alongside Juanma Lillo and Inigo Dominguez, who were Guardila’s assistants, and another one could be Nunes.
The former Wolves midfielder has struggled to find form at City despite adapting rather well to newer demands such as changing position to right-back, and reports suggest that a move away is likely.
Nunes was linked with a move to Atletico Madrid in late 2024 but it never transpired, while Premier League interest includes West Ham United, Newcastle United.
City could also use Nunes in a makeweight deal for a De Bruyne replacement, though this is yet to come clear.
Whose contracts are expiring this summer?
What will hurt City fans the most about De Bruyne’s departure is the fact it was wholly one-sided and out of his control.
The Belgium international, who won 19 trophies while at City, will leave the club this summer after not being offered a new contract by the club.
Other players to be leaving, provided they aren't offered new and improved contracts, are Scott Carson and Ilkay Gundogan.
Gundogan returned the City after leaving as a free agent in 2023 (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Getty Images)
Gundogan returned the City after leaving as a free agent in 2023 (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Getty Images)
Gundogan left City in 203 as a free agent and joined Barcelona but, due to financial difficulties, the German midfielder made a return to the club in August last year.
Upon returning, he signed a one-year deal with the club, which will expire this summer.
Third-choice goalkeeper Carson has often agreed one-year extensions in the past but whether he will be given a seventh season at the club is yet to be seen.