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Sharp open training and friendly victories leave City in good shape ahead of new season
Manchester City are set to begin their 2025/26 season, where they’ll be looking to reclaim the Premier League title.
The Blues conceded their crown to Arne Slot’s Liverpool last season, finishing in third place - a whopping 13 points behind the champions and three behind second placed Arsenal.
But City have splashed the cash both in January and this summer, signing ten players in total so far - Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis (now on loan at Girona,) Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Rayan Ait Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Rayan Cherki, Tijani Reijnders, Sverre Nypan (who’s also set to go on loan) and James Trafford, meaning we’re presented with a fresh, new look City side.
However, just Kevin de Bruyne, Scott Carson, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish and Reis have officially left so far a hugely bloated squad that still needs trimming down by new sporting director Hugo Viana.
There’s still work to be done on and off the pitch, but the season has started off well with a 1-0 win over Preston North End in a behind closed door friendly and a 3-0 win against Palermo on Saturday evening.
The club also did an open training session for fans to watch, which gave us an insight into their training methods and showed us that all of the players - new and old - are itching to get started again this season.
Here are three things we learned from City’s preparation for the upcoming season:
Quick football and players returning to form will transfer the team next season
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JUNE 30: Phil Foden #47 of Manchester City looks dejected after the team’s defeat 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 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Much has been said about the new signings and coaching staff additions in James French, Pep Lijnders and Kolo Toure, but it’s important to remember that City already had an absolute abundance of quality.
Phil Foden had a poor year after winning PFA Player of the Year, Erling Haaland’s goal output (though still impressive) decreased and the likes of Ederson, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Rico Lewis and Bernardo Silva all had largely poor seasons, but that doesn’t mean they’re not all brilliant footballers.
Rodri and Oscar Bobb were injured for almost the entire season, whilst John Stones, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic, Akanji and Jeremy Doku all endured long spells on the sidelines.
These guys all returning to fitness and form would be amazing news for City and will elevate the level of the team, though it’d further the selection headache for Pep Guardiola much more difficult.
Speaking of Guardiola, he seems committed to playing a more fluid, quick form of football this campaign, more similar to the 2017-20 version of City than the “thousand million passes” approach of the last few seasons.
Signing technical and athletic players like Ait-Nouri, Nico, Cherki and Reijnders furthers the theory that we’ll see a change of system next season, which will not only be more entertaining but I think it’ll be more fulfilling in breaking down deep blocks too.
Good vibes have returned
Manchester City huddle during training session at the City Football Academy, Manchester. Picture date: Tuesday August 5, 2025. (Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)
Finally, City seem to have a happy and settled dressing room again, with plenty of big personalities and strong leaders.
The new leadership group of Bernardo, Dias, Rodri and Haaland is a perfect combination of youth and experience. All four players have won the lot with City and are respected, important members of the squad.
Ilkay Gundogan (assuming he stays) will also provide experience, personality and leadership to the dressing room, as will the likes of Ederson, Stones, Kovacic, Ake and new third choice goalkeeper Bettinelli.
The new players were joking around at the open training session, and are clearly very happy, determined and humbled to be at the club.
City benefitted from the treble season by removing and improving unhappy faces. I strongly suspect we’ll see the same thing again this campaign.
Transfer business is NOT done
PALERMO, ITALY - AUGUST 09: Savinho of Manchester City looks on during the pre-season friendly match between Palermo and Mancheter City at Stadio Renzo Barbera on August 09, 2025 in Palermo, Italy. (Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)
As we discovered on the 11th August, City’s transfer window is seemingly far from done.
The first report of the day consisted of the biggest shock potential outgoing of the window so far - young Brazilian winger Savinho, who’s Tottenham Hotspur’s main target.
The Blues rejected a bid of €50 million for the 21-year-old in the morning, just before it was confirmed by highly reputable football journalist Fabrizio Romano that Grealish is set to join Everton on loan, with a £50 million offer to buy - a deal that has now gone through.
Just an hour or so later, Romano reported that McAtee is advancing rapidly on a move to Nottingham Forest (for about £30 million, as called by Jack Gaughan later that evening.)
And it soon became apparent that City are planning on replacing Savinho if he goes. The first name linked by Sacha Tavolieri and then Bobby Vincent was Xavi Simons - though it appears he is closer to a move to Chelsea - followed by Real Madrid forward Rodrygo by Romano and Matteo Moretto.
It’s all very well - either Simons or Rodrygo would be an excellent signing for City, and in my opinion is an upgrade on Savinho.
But it doesn’t solve the issue surrounding City’s current registration issues. Even if Nypan leaves on loan and Stefan Ortega-Moreno departs permanently as expected, City will be in a position where they have 26 first team players, and can only register 25 for the UEFA Champions League.
Either City need to move one more non homegrown player out of the club altogether, or they need to leave someone out of their Champions League squad, at the risk of greatly upsetting them.
Either way it’s not ideal. It just shows that even with all the business done so far this summer, they’re nowhere near finished yet.