Can Pep Guardiola and Manchester City find their mojo ahead of the 2025/26 season? 

After winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title in the 2023/24 season to establish themselves as the dominant force in English football, many expected Manchester City to challenge on all fronts this season as well.

Instead, Pep Guardiola and Co let their incredibly high standards slip and suffered a turbulent campaign like no other.

There were several factors behind why the Sky Blues failed to reach the levels of recent seasons again. Here, we analyse their season and look at whether they can again touch those heights next season.

A trophyless campaign  

After winning a fourth consecutive English top-flight title, the City hierarchy opted against splashing the cash last summer and signed just two first-team players: Savinho (£21 million) and Ilkay Gündogan (free).

The decision not to bolster their options backfired when the Cityzens were struck by an injury crisis — most notably losing Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to an ACL injury in September, which coincided with an alarming drop in form towards the end of the year.

City had put together a 13-game unbeaten run across all competitions up until the end of October, when their horror show began and extended into the new year. With just one win, three draws, and nine defeats during that nightmare eight-week spell, their season crumbled before their eyes. 

During this run, they crashed out in the fourth round of the League Cup against Tottenham Hotspur (2–1 away), were stunned by Spurs again in the league (losing 4–0 at home), and were outclassed by Liverpool (losing 2–0 away). They also made a habit of letting leads slip — most notably drawing 3–3 with Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League, despite leading by three goals with only 15 minutes remaining.

So the decision was made by the City hierarchy to spend big during the January transfer window in order to spark a much-needed revival, while Kyle Walker departed on loan to AC Milan after handing in a transfer request.

The new signings helped City register their most impressive victory of the season — a 4–0 thumping of Newcastle United at the Etihad. However, they were also beaten comprehensively by Real Madrid in the Champions League, losing 6–3 on aggregate in the knockout play-off tie and crashing out before the quarter-final stage of the competition for the first time in almost a decade.

City were also humbled by Arsenal (losing 5–1 away) and beaten by both Liverpool (2–0 at home) and Nottingham Forest (1–0 away), which cast further doubts over their Champions League credentials. However, a run of nine unbeaten games (seven wins, two draws) from April till the end of the season saw them finish the season in third place — 13 points behind champions Liverpool.

However, it was City legend Kevin De Bruyne who was at the heart of City’s revival not long after announcing that he would leave the club at the end of the season. The veteran Belgian was hoping to bow out with one final piece of silverware, but Man City suffered a shock 1–0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final in May — their 16th loss of the season in all competitions, which is the most they’ve suffered in a single campaign since 2008/09.

The only positive that Man City could take away from their miserable end to the year was Guardiola’s decision to sign a two-year contract extension, despite the club’s ongoing legal battle with the Premier League and the impending hearing into charges of alleged financial rule breaches.

Revamping the squad 

Where do we begin?

It has been well documented that Man City are in need of a squad rebuild this summer, with new sporting director Hugo Viana currently working alongside outgoing chief Txiki Begiristain to draw up a list of first-team targets — primarily, younger players to address the age profile of the current squad.

Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has admitted in recent interviews that the club were not aggressive enough in the transfer market last summer, and that he is confident that City can secure their summer targets in time for the upcoming Club World Cup.

City’s underwhelming start to the season led to extensive January spending, with Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Nico González brought in for a combined cost of roughly £170 million. Speaking in his annual end-of-season interview, Khaldoon confirmed that spending on new players will continue through the coming summer.

Midfield additions are all but guaranteed, with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Tijjani Reijnders high on City’s wishlist, while reinforcements in the fullback department are also required — especially at right-back, with Kyle Walker expected to leave on a permanent basis.

However, finding someone who can replace a player like Kevin De Bruyne will be one of City’s biggest challenges as well as one of their top priorities. Florian Wirtz had been on their radar for quite some time, but the Germany international is edging towards a deal with Liverpool well north of £100 million — a tough one to take for the City faithful.

Moreover, it’s safe to say that City’s wingers haven’t lived up to the standards required of them for quite some time now, and it’s highly likely the club sign a right-winger at the very least, with both Jérémy Doku and Savinho capable of playing on the left. Rayan Cherki is one player who has caught the attention of City scouts and is one to watch as a possible signing before the Club World Cup.

That said, Guardiola has insisted that the size of his first-team squad mustn’t increase over the summer, so some tough decisions over player exits will have to be made, with the likes of Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Ederson, James McAtee, John Stones, and Nathan Aké all facing uncertain futures.

In the end, Man City’s summer business may also be affected on the outcome of their ongoing legal battle with the Premier League.

What does Guardiola need to do next season ?  

An ageing and injury-hit squad making uncharacteristic mistakes, waning confidence leading to passive spells and goal blitzes, and key players underperforming are symptoms — not causes — that City need to address. Their problem is a deep-rooted one, which encompasses not only the loss of historic tactical standards but also the need to update and embrace the future.

As the flag bearer of juego de posición — the concept of positional play that has dominated world football since his Barcelona side won everything some decade and a half ago — Guardiola and Man City’s drop-off poses a much bigger question: is this the beginning of the end of the Spaniard’s reign at the helm of modern football?

For someone whose innovative tactical tweaks have shaped modern football for nearly two decades, attacking quickly after transitions is a direct attack on Guardiola’s philosophy, with increased emphasis on direct football that is deliberately contrasting to possession-based, territorial football.

However, much of City’s malaise also comes from the vacuum created by Rodri’s absence at the heart of their midfield. It’s not just about what Rodri offers to the team, but what he represents as well. On the ball, he brings control and order — not simply by moving it side to side, but by bravely taking possession in tight spaces and releasing it to break the opposition press. Off the ball, he does the dirty work: pressing and harrying opponents, especially immediately after possession is lost, to shut down counter-attacks before they can gather momentum.

In Rodri’s absence, City’s possession, touches per 90 minutes, and passes per 90 have all dropped significantly compared to last season, highlighting their reduced control of matches and, consequently, their diminished ability to “rest” between phases of play.

A core principle of Guardiola’s philosophy is to recompress the shape and stay in positions they have perfected in training, shutting off routes to counter and setting up familiar pathways to find a route to goal. To stay rigidly in these positions, or to get back into the pre-defined pockets after a difficult moment, the players need those “rest” periods. Without them, City become stretched and more exposed, hence their recent vulnerability to fast breaks and individual errors from out-of-position panicked defenders.

Which brings us to the second aspect of the Rodri vacuum: defensive collapse. City’s pressing has worsened, as has their ability to win the ball high up the pitch. Less effective pressing and counter-pressing have made City worse at stopping fast breaks through the middle.

This season, City’s opponents have held the ball for longer periods unchallenged and thus have had more time to build calculated attacks from the back. A high defensive line without effective pressing and an ageing midfield unable to cover the ground effectively and fill the gaps are a recipe for disaster.

This problem may go deeper, to a more profound issue with tactical modernity, but Guardiola is likely already working on a fix. January arrival Nico González provides City what they’ve desperately wanted all season — control — while Omar Marmoush provides what they didn’t even know they needed — chaos.

González is almost the perfect player for Guardiola. Another gem from La Masia, known for his exceptional positioning, movement, and versatility, the 23-year-old is the perfect backup to Rodri, though given his skillset he may even be deployed as a No. 8 alongside his compatriot. 

Marmoush, on the other hand, is an explosive and versatile right-footed attacker. Typically a striker, he is also able to operate in wide areas. Extremely direct, his use of acceleration and speed to drive at opposition defences and create chances for both himself and his teammates has been a major spark in an otherwise one-dimensional attacking display by City this season. 

Make no mistake: these two players aren’t remotely close to solving City’s deep-rooted problems, but they exemplify what type of acquisitions we can expect from the club this summer. 

Apart from tactical tweaks, Guardiola will also want Phil Foden to quickly rediscover his best form after a “frustrating” season battling with physical and mental fatigue. If City cannot sign their ideal De Bruyne replacement, they will want Foden to step up as their creator-in-chief. 

Guardiola would also like to see other attackers contribute to the team’s cause, as they were again heavily reliant on Haaland, who scored 21 times more than any of his teammates. He and Foden (10) were the only two City players who reached double figures. 

Most of all, challenging on all fronts and entering the latter stages of next season still in with a chance of lifting multiple trophies is what Guardiola will prioritise. The Premier League has been — and always will be — his priority, so pushing closer to Liverpool with a younger, less injury-prone squad, constructed to seriously compete, will be his and the Man City board’s primary objective for the 2025/26 season.