City’s summer of change is not finished yet

It was apparent from the beginning that the 2025/26 domestic Premier League and European campaign for Manchester City, their fans, and manager Pep Guardiola would be one of change – significant change in many ways.

As fans of all colours begin to relax after an enthralling season, we now enter the latter stages of the World Cup. If you like to have a personal stake in every game, it’s a time when platforms like Sports Betting Online come into their own, showing you the best welcome offers with the top bookmakers, across multiple countries. Meanwhile, those in the Etihad Stadium faithful are simply pondering, what comes next?

This time last summer there was a startling rebuild of Guardiola’s first team squad options with numerous departures, including the likes of legend Kevin De Bruyne, and the club welcomed in a new crop of talents such as Tijjani Reijnders and despite Erling Haaland’s incredible start to the campaign, City had their struggles. New players bedding in to the club, country, Pep’s philosophy – which itself slightly changed as the team went slightly more direct – saw understandable elements of form fluctuations.

As ever though, City rallied very strongly towards the end of the season, helped by the New Year additions of both Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo and lifted both the FA Cup and the League Cup, but despite drawing level on points with Arsenal for a period right at the death, it was not to be in what fans now knew would be the 55 year old Spanish gaffers goodbye campaign.

The uncertainty and change is far from over for City fans though. It is well known that there are still players at the club who will be moving on at the right price, as well as those like John Stones who depart when their contracts come to a close this summer.

The speculation rumour mill has long suggested that Enzo Maresca will be Pep’s replacement in the dug out, and at the time of typing there is an expectation that the deal will be announced as official in around the next 24 to 48 hour time period, giving him all the time he needs to bed himself into life at the club and with his feet under the all important managers desk.

Maresca’s announcement will solve one potential headache as the new season approaches, although there are questions to be answered about which players may move on as he makes the team his own, as well as those targets he would like to potentially bring through the door himself.

There is also the small matter of the future of 29 year old Spanish international midfielder Rodri to consider.

He has long been linked with La Liga giants Real Madrid, and that speculation went into overdrive given the possibility that Enrique Riquelme could win the presidential election at the club. He also only has 12 months left on his existing contract as well, and even though he has recently said that no decisions will be taken on his future until Spain’s World Cup adventure comes to an end, fans will be naturally wondering if they will too say goodbye to him before the transfer window shuts.

Whilst he is on record as saying he would like to return to his homeland one day, it seems unlikely that he would leave for a fee in the next few months, so City should get the season to give him the deserved send off.

The worries will continue until it is confirmed and guaranteed, though.