Manchester City are looking to win back their Premier League title after letting it go last season, and have spent big to close the gap on Liverpool.
After spending over £180m in January to bolster their flagging squad, Pep Guardiola’s side opened the chequebook with another £108m splurge at the start of the summer before the FIFA Club World Cup.
After re-signing James Trafford for £27m this month, City’s 2025 spending has topped £300m, although the Trafford fee is more like £13m after he departed for Burnley for £14m two years ago.
Of the summer signings, former AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders netted twice in the pre-season win over Palermo this weekend, while ex-Lyon attacker Rayan Cherki has impressed and scored at the Club World Cup.
Rayan Cherki of Manchester City FC crosses the ball during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Manchester City and Al-Hilal at Camping World Stadium on June 30, 2025
Photo by Qian Jun/Sports Press Photo/Getty Images
Cherki will be tasked with helping to replace the significant influence of Kevin De Bruyne in the attacking midfield areas and could be in line to start the Premier League opener at Wolves, given Phil Foden is an injury doubt.
Micah Richards says Rayan Cherki will ‘unlock’ Man City’s attack this season
City’s task this season will be to close the gap to defending champions Liverpool, who have added significant firepower and looked ominous in attack despite losing the Community Shield this weekend.
City finished 13 points behind Liverpool last season, although a strong end to the campaign for Guardiola’s men saw them gain nine points on Liverpool in the last four games after the title had already been secured.
And that distance prompted City to spend big in the January and Summer transfer windows, with former defender Micah Richards picking out Rayan Cherki as the new signing who could ‘unlock’ teams who sit back and stop City playing.
So to claw back those points against Liverpool, who have just got so many options, I think it’s going to be difficult.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards said: “If you look at City, sometimes the way they play and teams go into that low block or whatever, a guy like Rayan Cherki can unlock that door. So I’m not worried about them attacking-wise.”
City’s major struggle in 2024/25 could be a thing of the past with Cherki arrival
With Rodri out for most of last season and a never-ending defensive injury crisis, City’s Premier League title defence last season never got going, and they opened the door for Liverpool to win a deserved league title.
Ryan Cherki of Manchester City and Lloyd Kelly of Juventus FC in action during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group G match between Juventus FC and Manchester City FC at Camping World Stadium on June 26, 2025
Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
A run of one win in nine games in November and December ended the title challenge before it got going, and many opposition teams found success in sitting deep and picking City off on the break.
After going over two years without a home defeat, City dropped points six times at home and will need to find a solution to the age-old problem of breaking down deep defensive systems.
Last season, Cherki netted 13 goals and added 21 assists for Lyon in 48 games, with only one player creating more chances from open play in Ligue 1 across the campaign – Reims’ Junya Ito.
So if Guardiola wants creativity from open play against stubborn blocks, Richards could be right in backing Cherki to transform the City attack.