What is Manchester City Building?

It’s been one of the craziest transfer windows of the last decade, certainly for City fans; we’ve not seen this in the early twenty years, plenty of twists, and in the end, many rival fans are left disappointed with their business.

It’s been an aggressive amount of churn in the squad, moving on players that have been good, but not great, those that aren’t likely to get the most out of their talent, who want more minutes, and shopping off the top shelf for the next Manchester City midfield.

Erling Haaland said at the end of last season, this isn’t a club that can go without winning the PL title for two seasons. The chairman spoke of this club being built to win, nothing else. That has been reflected in the business this summer. Here are my quick thoughts on the moves and the squad as a whole.

All the graphics from the newsletter for the team’s setup IP and OOP, game-by-game, I’ll be adding to this thread and making it easy to scroll through them all during the season.

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This is the squad for you to look back on, heading into the 25/26 season, which is important in the context of the moves made this summer. In hindsight, there were far too many areas they took risks on. We were all very high on Savinho and Oscar Bobb taking that next step forward, but immediately the team looks light on genuine wingers Guardiola could rely on. No surprise Semenyo arrived.

Similar story with the backline: Khusanov had to leap forward, which he did, but outside of that, when Dias and Josko got injured, you were in trouble. Kovacic out injured for most of the season. Foden was back in the first half and faded in the second. Cherki had to be bedded in. Reijnders ultimately wasn’t able to make the cut when it mattered.

What I will say is that with the departure of Guardiola to come, several older players on big contracts about to depart, we were never going to see the type of outlay that we got this summer.

The arrival of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi was vital in January. Without them, the team struggled to win two domestic Cups and remain in the title race. It’s as simple as that. It’s also helped this summer to be ahead, with two signings already ticked off.

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If we start with the known departures heading into the summer. John Stones (32) left on a free transfer, eventually finding out it’s Inter Milan he’s landed at. Champions League football, living in Italy, and the kind of depth around him to manage his fitness. Which was ultimately why, at his age, he was never going to get another contract with Manchester City. Nathan Ake (31) was always expected to leave, and out of nowhere he secured the move to Fenerbahce, reuniting with Ederson. Both defenders were excellent during their time, key in winning The Treble, and physically, past the level to contribute here anymore.

Similarly, Bernardo Silva (32) had run his race at the club, and it was the right time for a change of scenery for him. Now playing at Real Madrid, and as we know well, likely returning to the Etihad soon. On the other side of that rivalry, Rodri (30) has been sold to Barcelona, who seemed intent on leaving for a while now, and has become the final departure to show this is the beginning of a new cycle at the club. I’m sure his succession would have been a topic already, but his push to leave accelerated those plans.

James Trafford (23) was always expected to depart. Joining Leeds United. Wanting to become the number-one keeper, which wasn’t going to happen if he stayed. Now he can push to be the England starter. Delivered in the backup role on the pitch, helping the team win two domestic Cups and ready to have a great career in the Premier League.

Savio (22), who was formerly known as Savinho, had always been desperate to join Spurs, who had always been interested in the winger. Talented dribbler, impressive creatively in his first season, but showed in his second to be lacking between the ears to give you the confidence he’ll get the most out of that talent.

Omar Marmoush (27) heads on loan to Spurs, with an obligation to buy should some terms be met. Which are reported to be very easy to hit. He was desperate for minutes, unfortunate with injury, and wasn’t quite able to show the consistency in a backup capacity or in rotation on the wing that warrants keeping him around. Again, talented, but never quite fit well into the makeup of the squad.

Nico Gonzalez (24) has gone to Newcastle United, the one that had to be told to move on, and the most difficult one to unpick. For me, a big fan of the player, that’s good but not great in the six role long-term. That doesn’t mean he’s not a starting midfielder for a team playing in the Champions League. For City, the ceiling is higher.

Tijjani Reijnders (28), on the flipside, had reportedly looked to move on earlier in the year after struggling to adapt to and hold a position in the starting eleven. He’s moved to the Middle East. Likely on an incredible contract for the future of his family. Off the ball, he never was able to contribute to the team, and his qualities on the ball never showed up consistently enough.

I mentioned the number of risks taken in the squad for last season, and with most of the players sold this summer, they’d have been question marks for the season, whether they’d prove capable as a starter or not, contribute goals or not, and the lack of depth played a big role in Manchester City losing the title last season. If you’re not confident they can deliver, but can get your money back, clear the wages, and bring in a better option, then what are you waiting for?

Geronimo Rulli (34) comes in as the backup keeper, his second move to Manchester City after joining in 2016. The starter for Marseille in the last two seasons, he’s also played in the Eredivisie, La Liga, and the Argentine Primera Division. Not lacking in experience and more fitting of the off-pitch responsibilities of a backup role, supporting players, than Trafford, who was desperate for minutes.

Mathys Detourbet (19) was one of the most exciting young players in Ligue 2 last season as Troyes went on to get promotion. He’s on loan with Monaco for the next two seasons, with City having an option to bring him back next summer.

Another talented young winger they picked up was Jeremy Monga (17) from Leicester City. Already with 27 Championship appearances, he’s off to Swansea this season on loan. A team that will want to get on the ball, play an expansive brand of football, and push for promotion.

Pierce Charles (21) picked up from Sheffield Wednesday, returning to City where the keeper started his youth career, and on loan with QPR for the season, as their starter. He’s not ready to be a backup with the first-team, but 30+ starts in the Championship will help him get close.

Elliot Anderson (23) had to be the first signing. When you look back at Manchester City in the last two years, the lack of intensity in the counter-press and urgency to recover the ball in all areas of the pitch, and then look at his performance against Crystal Palace. Added to his constant communication with teammates about their positions, the team has needed it.

You can’t fault the technical ability of some playing alongside Silva and Rodri in that time, but you can for being a bit soft in moments, not taking the lead, and wrestling back momentum of a match. Anderson has no problem getting involved in all areas of the pitch. He wants to impact the game.

That’s without getting into the same urgency Anderson brings to his forward passes, the glimpses he’s shown at Forest arriving into the box, and his crossing ability. He’s ready to go out the gate, with more to learn, as he spoke of after the Palace match, to be aware of the structure he’s got to maintain in the midfield. You don’t make it into the England World Cup squad without the hunger and desire to get better. At Manchester City, he’s in the right place to keep going up the gears.

Ayyoub Bouaddi (18)

Elegant and composed, Bouaddi is the best midfielder at his age, who has displayed that he can sit and protect a backline at the World Cup. He’s aggressive in winning back the ball, but does it as cleanly as he will glide past a player in the middle of the pitch.

He’s had standout moments already, winning at the Bernabéu in the Champions League. All the reports speak to a model professional off the pitch, and his own former teammate and Lille Captain, praised his maturity when coming into the team.

Becoming the player that’s first choice as the six, that’s starting week-in, week-out, that’ll take some time, but Bouaddi will be ready for serious minutes, and won’t be shy on the pitch.

Making the volume of progressive actions the likes of Rodri performed every game, every three days, and always moving to demand the ball. That’ll take some time. So will impact in the final third, as we saw from Rodri. But the comparisons to Yaya Toure, with the long legs, once up to speed, there is something in that Bouaddi can use to hurt the opposition.

Allan (22) was described by his coach at Palmeiras as a ‘two-way’ winger who can attack and defend; it’s clear immediately the value Allan provides and the similarity he shares with recent arrivals in Semenyo and Ndiaye. Both known for their graft off-the-ball. He’s played as a right midfielder and right wing-back during his time at the club, and handled himself. In the Premier League, across the team, you’ve got to contribute at both ends, in some capacity, and the proven physicality of Allan, as we saw with Rayan moving to Bournemouth, should allow for a quick adjustment period.

Make no mistake, though, Allan is a winger. He’s one of the best dribblers in the Brasileiro this season, beating his man either way, and having a keen eye for a pass. Not shy in attacking the box, or taking a shot. Not lacking in connection on the strike like Savinho. But the consistency of decisions in the final action, and the number of opportunities he gets, impacted by the Palmerias’ playstyle, is where he’ll want to take a step forward. With Semenyo, Doku, and Nidaye ahead in the pecking order, he’ll get the time to do that.

Iliman Ndiaye (26) is fantastic at beating players 1v1, on either side of the pitch, in the congested spaces in particular; he’s a leader in the PL along with Jeremy Doku. That’s exactly what Manchester City will face plenty of times across the season. Very little angle bias for receiving and making his next action whilst carrying the ball. Studs on the ball, reading the defender, and quick to sprint after changing direction. Through the middle, left or right, Ndiaye is going to find a way through.

His second big strength is recovering the ball. Ndiaye will work his socks off. Cast your mind back to the Etihad last season, supporting his full-back against Jeremy Doku. Those qualities will come in handy for the biggest games, in the Champions League, and when you need to come off the bench to help see out a game. As I mentioned with Allan, in the Premier League, and football as a whole, you need two-way players. In the recent recruitment, you’ve seen that with Semenyo, Ndiaye, and Allan on the wings. All known for the high floor off the ball.

For Ndiaye, at Everton in the Premier League, it’s 11 goals from 10.15xG in the last two seasons. For shots inside the penalty box, it’s 13 goals from 10.20xG. The output will be one area he’s got to step up at Manchester City, and the volume of chances should increase, especially playing more on the left side, rather than the right as he did last season.

Enzo Fernandez (25) is, without a doubt, a huge signing on the pitch; it’s a fee that will grab plenty of attention and expectation, as well as be controversial in many ways. What I will say is this move doesn’t happen unless the club is on board and wants the player as much as Maresca.

The players in midfield the manager could give instructions to, know how they wanted to play, and make those changes on the pitch were Bernardo Silva and Rodri for Pep Guardiola last season. Both out the door. It’s Enzo Fernandez who can do it from day one for Enzo Maresca. Anderson, I’m sure, will become that, and Bouaddi in time, but to deliver now, in a season to win the Premier League. This is one factor for the move.

Similar story when it comes to having players in midfield that approach the biggest of games with the mentality to win, that they’re the best player on the pitch, find a way through, and are nasty about it. That expect to win, to dominate, and not let their team be overrun in the middle of the pitch. As we saw with Reijnders and Gonzalez at times, too passive and too nice.

The big step forward from Fernandez in the last two seasons was to become, arguably, the best goal-scoring midfielder in the Premier League. Arriving late into the box, a threat to tap in, score headers, and attack the 6-yard box in a way Gundogan did for Manchester City.

Playing deeper in midfield, as he does so well for Argentina, is something we’ve not seen consistently enough in the Premier League, so the partnership with Anderson and Bouaddi will be something to keep an eye on. Although his quality has been used further forward in the absence of Cole Palmer for Chelsea, among other poor attacking options on the wing and at full-back, Fernandez in his early years had to adapt to the league, and we’ve not seen the more prepared version given the opportunity to play deeper. The likes of O’Reilly and Gvardiol are far bigger threats ahead of the ball than Gusto and Cucurella. Maresca will have the players to make use of Enzo Fernandez deeper.

On the ball, he undoubtedly has the passing quality the team needs to add. Driving balls out to the wing or in behind, chipped balls over the top, flicks around the corner, quick one-touch passing through the middle of the pitch, and knowing when to accelerate the play. Especially the type of dynamic work we’ve seen from Anderson in the buildup against Palace, Fernandez will provide the same.

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Moving Forward

It’s not been the smoothest ride, or probably the most ideal path in how each move played out, but we got here in the end. Nearly every position has a player in their best years and a young, hungry player pushing for their position. The wingers compared to last season are night and day. Plenty of promise in McAidoo and Allan without them needing to play and perform every three days.

The depth to use off the bench is a big improvement. A key reason as to why the team lost the PL title. Not enough goal contributions from the substitutes and missing a midfielder to help see out the game. Availability of the new players; all have proven track records of fitness, you’re leaning on those that will at best be fit for half the games.

The two spots to keep an eye on are right-back and backup striker. The latter, there are options in Ndiaye and Semenyo, who have 50+ appearances in the position across their career. You have Phil Foden, who can play as a false nine. There are options here.

At right-back, you have a reliable and consistent option in Nunes. Given the setup of Maresca we’ve seen, Reis and Khusanvo can play that role. Although with some parts to clean up in their game. I’m sure by next summer, it’s going to be a position to buy, but not an Achilles heel for this season.

The other two areas I felt the team lacked last season in competing for the title were off-the-ball and taking our chances when leading by one goal. They’re adding plenty of options to deal with the problem of finding the second goal. Always having Semenyo or Ndiaye, McAidoo, or Allan on the bench to make an impact in the second half. It’s a big step forward from Savinho and Marmoush, who got 1 goal contribution between them across 30+ appearances off the bench.

Off the ball, we’ve seen the impact Anderson has had right away. Guehi has been bedded in. Gvardiol is back fit. The wingers in Semenyo, Ndiaye, and Allan are standing out for their defensive work. The level has improved; the next step is the structure and execution to follow from Enzo Maresca.

That is ultimately what this now comes down to. In part, it’s a team to be excited about watching, who has the quality in depth to compete on all fronts. In the beginning of this post, I mentioned the words of Erling Haaland and Khaldoon. This is a machine built to win, and Manchester City cannot go two years without winning the Premier League. The quality of this squad now demands it.