2024/25 SEASON REVIEW
Whilst most of the squad were with their respective countries at the Euros and Copa America, City were starting to amass a decent transfer fund:
Taylor Harwood-Bellis moved to Southampton for £20M, and fellow Academy product Tommy Doyle moved to Wolves for £4M.
After playing 38 matches for City, Sergio Gomez left the Etihad, Real Sociedad paying £8.4M for the 23 year old. Another Academy product, Liam Delap, left City, Newly promoted Ipswich paying an initial fee of £15M. The Blues also received £1M from Stockport County for Lewis Fiorini.
Yan Couto, who had been on loan at Girona, then joined Borussia Dortmund on a 12 month loan with the Germans obligated to buy for £22M.
A further £8M was added to the coffers from the sell on clause in Douglas Luiz’s contract, with the Villa midfielder moving to Juventus.
The first signing of the season saw 20 year old Brazilian winger Savinho move to the Etihad from Troyes. City paying an initial fee of £21M.
A very inexperienced squad of 27 players set off for USA for a pre-season tour, with just six senior players available there would be opportunity for Pep to try out plenty of the Academy players travelling.
City met Celtic first in North Carolina, and in an entertaining match were edged out 4-3 by the Glasgow team.
Then a sell-out crowd at New York’s Yankee Stadium saw another inexperienced young City side lose again, 3-2 to AC Milan.
Gvardiol and Kovacic had now joined the squad and both started against Barcelona in Orlando, the match finished 2-2 with the Spanish side winning the penalty shoot-out 4-1.
In the last match of the tour City faced a strong Chelsea side, however, courtesy of an Erling Haaland hat-trick, and some great performances from City’s youngsters they beat the Londoners in front of a crowd of over 70,000 in Columbus, Ohio.
As the senior players slowly started returning to The Etihad, more Academy players moved away, Mahamadou Susoho joined Peterborough, and Finley Burns joined Hull, both on season long loans. Micah Hamilton moved on a permanent deal to Middlesbrough for an initial fee of £2M plus add-ons and a 25% sell on clause, and Lewis Fiorini moved to Stockport for £1M.
The traditional season curtain raiser, The Community Shield, saw a very young City side draw 1-1 at Wembley against a strong Manchester United team, but City lift the first trophy of the season beating Ten Haag’s side 7-6 in a penalty shoot-out.
There were then further moves away from the Etihad for City youngsters, Ben Knight moved to Real Murcia on a free but with a 20% sell on clause, and Luke Mbete moved to Northampton on season long loan.
It was, however, a record breaking move away from City that made the headlines, as Julian Alverez, in a need for more starts, joined Atletico Madrid in a deal that would be worth up to £82M, a profit of £68M after City brought him to Manchester just two years ago.
Out of favour Kalvin Phillips also moved on a season long loan to newly promoted Ipswich.
With all the outgoing activity the senior squad was looking thin and worse to come came the news that Oscar Bobb had sustained a leg fracture in training and would probably take no part in the season until the New year.
And so, a very under strength City side, faced big-spending Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and in a very confident and controlling performance they produced a 2-0 victory. Pep commenting afterwards: “I am so impressed but not surprised. That’s what I expect for this level and commitment. It’s such a privilege and honour to be manager of this club and players. To do this after winning so well and lack of preparation.”
Further accolades for Phil Foden as he was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
City had definitely not been able to replace Ilkay Gundogan’s influence in midfield after he moved to Barcelona a year ago, however, eventually, they found their replacement, and it was … Gundogan! Ilkay had been unhappy with his time in Spain and when Barcelona, anxious to move him off their payroll, announced he could leave on a free, both City and Gundogan jumped at the chance to renew their amazing relationship, and the German signed a one year contract with an option for a further year. The 33 year old said: “When you leave this place like I did last year, you spend a year away, you then start to appreciate the place even more. You realise what you had. You realise how amazing that time was. You realise how big the club is, the best club in the world.”