There is a positive vibe around Manchester City heading into the 2025/26 Premier League season.
Last time around was very underwhelming for Pep Guardiola’s men, as City went the entire term without a major trophy and needed the final day of the season to secure Champions League football for the current season.
Guardiola will not want to experience this again, and the legendary coach has made several changes over the summer months to ensure this.
Pepijn Lijnders and James French were added to Man City’s coaching staff, but it is another new arrival that has been impressing Bernardo Silva and the rest of City’s squad.
Bernardo Silva celebrates a goal for Manchester City v Al-Hilal at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images
Bernardo Silva praises the work of Kolo Toure
Man City added Kolo Toure to their coaching staff in July after the former defender impressed Guardiola while with the Premier League giants at the FIFA Club World Cup.
John Stones has praised Toure recently, stating that the 44-year-old has been “incredible” during Man City’s training sessions and that the new coach has brought “a new energy” to the group.
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Toure is clearly rubbing off on Guardiola’s team, as Silva has also been praising the former Man City star, in addition to the other new coaches that were added ahead of the new Premier League season.
“Kolo’s a very nice guy, very funny guy, also very demanding with a lot of energy, and Pep Lijnders having the experience he had with [Jurgen] Klopp at the level where they put that team,” Silva told Sky Sports.
“He can bring also a lot of good things to us. It’s nice. We’re enjoying being with them. There’s some different things coming to the team, we’re getting used to it. But it’s been nice.
“Every person has a different way of seeing football, and with the experience that Pep Lijnders had in the past and Kolo Toure, they’re bringing new ideas to the team. And that’s always good.”
Lijnders is expected to bring a new level of intensity to Man City this season, which was an element the Manchester club lacked during the 24/25 campaign, and only time will tell what impact this will have on their results.
Pep Guardiola, Pep Lijnders and Kolo Toure in conversation during Manchester City vs Al-Hilal
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Kolo Toure’s career in coaching so far
Working with a managerial great such as Guardiola will be a huge help to Toure’s career, as it remains to be seen if he looks to return to being a first-team coach in the future.
The Ivorian has only ever held one role as a manager, which came at Wigan Athletic during the 22/23 campaign, but that stint did not last very long.
The 44-year-old has also been an assistant coach to Brendan Rodgers at both Celtic and Leicester City, which were similar to his current role at Man City.
Toure seems like a very popular figure among the players at the Manchester club, and if everything goes well for the former defender at the Etihad Stadium, the 44-year-old may become the main man at another club one day.