Football Daily - Can Manchester City get back to the top?

Episode Date: August 13, 2025

Kelly Cates and guests analyse Man City ahead of the start of the new season. Steph Houghton, Guillem Balague and Sam Lee join Kelly to dissect Man City's pre-season expectations.Does Pep Guardiola have the hunger to go again after a difficult 2024/25 campaign? The panel discuss changes at board level that could affect the Spaniard's performance as head coach.Football Finance expert Kieran Maguire joins after news that the wait for the verdict into City's alleged financial breaches could be delayed until October.The panel also discuss City's summer business, the departure of Jack Grealish and rumours around Rodri's future.Timecodes: 01:05 What went wrong last season? 08:10 Does Pep still have the hunger? 16:30 From Txiki Begiristain to Hugo Viana 22:40 Verdict on 115 charges delayed again 29:40 City's summer business 39:00 Grealish departs for Everton 44:15 Can Phil Foden get back to his best? 46:40 Rodri rumours & the goalkeeper situationBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Wed - 2000 - UEFA Super Cup - PSG v Spurs Sat - 1500 - Premier League - Sunderland v West Ham Sat - 1500 - Premier League - Spurs v Burnley Sat - 1730 - Premier League - Wolves v Man City Sun - 1400 - Premier League - Chelsea v Palace Sun - 1400 - Premier League - Forest v Brentford Sun - 1630 - Premier League - Man Utd v Arsenal

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Coming up, we'll be covering the football. the blue side of Manchester, as Pep Guardiola looks to put an underwhelming 2024-25 season behind him and guides City to what would be a seventh Premier League title in nine years. Over the next hour-ish, we'll take a look at their new recruits. We'll ask whether Pep Guardiola has a newfound fire to take City back to the top, and we'll discuss whether we'll finally see a resolution to the hearings into City's 115 charges for allegedly breaching the Premier League's financial rules. alongside me throughout this conversation,

the former city captain, Steph Horton, Sam Lee, Manchester City correspondent for the athletic, and Guillain Balagay from Five Lives EuroLeaks podcast, also author of the biography, Pep Guardiola, another way of winning. Good evening to all of you. Let's start, Sam, by putting this into context. And we talk about this as having been a disappointing season

for Manchester City last time out. just outlined the ways in which it was disappointing and the ways that were in Manchester City's control. Well, the ways that it were in their control is quite, that's quite a difficult framing, actually. It's caught me out because in terms of what wasn't in their control. And then we can put that into the close.

Because I was thinking of Rodry's injury and, yeah. Yeah, I had so many games last season when the correspondent for the other team, we've been, what's going on with City this season? It can't just be Rodry, can it? And it's like, it's not just Rodry, but he was basically the first domino to fall. I think that exposed the fact that in the city midfield,

there's nobody like it, which the club knew for ages. So that, in one sense, is for their control. They always knew, if anything happens to Rodry, we'll use two players in that role and one ahead of them, Kevin DeBreiner, for example. But Roderie's injury kind of exposed the fact that, you know, Gundwin had come back from Barcelona,

but they thought it'd play higher up. It doesn't really have the legs of mobility to play deeper in midfield when the game stretched. Covich is a very very important. a very good player, but he's not a rodgery. So then they were getting worked around easier. I think when they won the treble two years ago,

one of the underrated parts of City was the fact that they were so good at winning the second balls. Obviously, everybody focuses on what they do in possession, but out of it, they were absolute monsters. And last season, they lost that. They didn't seem to have the legs. Even players like Rico Lewis, very good on the ball, not quite so good off it.

So when they were losing it, it was getting through the midfield easily. And another kind of focus of the treble season was the defence. They were so solid 1V1. And last season, the defence was absolutely decimated by injuries. They couldn't get any kind of rhythm whatsoever. Dias never normally has injuries. I think he had three different injuries between November and January.

Stones off and out. Akanghi and Ake played with injuries for months and ended up needing surgery at the same time. So the opposition came through the midfield. The defence wasn't really fit enough and in the best shape to deal with it. And you can see from that, that's a recipe for disaster. And that's why they went through that period of winning something like, like nine games in 31, which for City is terribly bad.

And even when you look at what they did achieve last season, Steph, which is third place in the Premier League, it's important to put this into the context of how successful they've been under Pep Guardiola, because that was their lowest finish since his first season in charge. Yes, they progressed in the Champions League. The FA Cup they were runners-up in, but it was a 20-point drop-off in the league from the previous season.

And that comes in the aftermath of an unprecedented four titles in a row, six titles in seven years prior to that season. Is it part of the natural cycle? Do these fallow seasons just come along as part of that? Yeah, I think so. I think what Sam kind of described is everything that, if you would ask me that question, I think a lot of that is the reasons why.

I think Roderie's injury was massive. I think the way that Pep Guardiola likes his team to play a lot of it is through that number six. And from an attack on point of view, I think when you've got a Ballandall winner, he's so important and so integral to both in attack, but defensively as well. And I think when you do lose experience,

that likes of Diaz, Stones, Aki, a Kanji, and you're playing every three or four days without them players. It is really tough. And I think sometimes when you read out all them title wins, the trophies that they've won, and it's actually crazy, the standard that we have set as a club in terms of, we are disappointed to finish third.

There's a lot of clubs that are trying to just get them Champions League places and that for them is the pinnacle, whereas we're sitting here thinking, right, okay, we need to be big this season. We need to go and try and get that title back. But I think for me, I think you look at the players that left in the summer,

the likes of Kevin DeBroner, Carl Walker, they were mainstays for a lot of these seasons of us winning trophies. We're very, very important players. And you look now at the squad, it's it's frightening in terms of the competition between them places, but I think in the summer last season,

we didn't really kind of, we didn't really change what we had. I think we kept the same squad, which I think that's what Pep does. He trusts his players. He trusts his people. But I think with the competition as well, and I think we can't really go past

what Liverpool did last season in terms of their performance because I think sometimes when you're dipping form and there's a team ready to pounce, like Liverpool, it becomes hard. to claw that back with their quality. So I think a little bit of both Kelly in a sense of a bit unlucky with injuries but also I think sometimes in a cycle

where you're winning all the time you have to freshen things up and we probably didn't do that as much as other clubs in that summer. The reason that I sort of started off by framing this is kind of what was in and out of city's control is because from everything that you read

about Pep Guardiola including your biography of him, he is a manager who loves to have have control of the situation. So how will last season have affected him? Didn't sleep very well. There was a lot of the talks that passed the midnight time. There was doubts and he's a man that leaves in constant doubt. Perhaps, and this is important and we'll touch on it later, his coaching staff didn't help as much as it should have by not challenging things that were happening. But to be honest, you describe things that

nobody can control injuries for instance the fact that because Bernardo Silva and Gundaghan had to play so many games because the other couldn't they just weren't

hitting right form there was the case of Grelish and Kevin the Bruner and Walker who had been so important and then they weren't seeing the best version and you look back in November

at the beginning of November they were top of the table so who was at that point saying oh you're about to collapse Everything is about to go very, very wrong. So they continue with it, even though, as Steph says, they realized they hadn't renewed the squad properly. And then when things weren't wrong, he started doing things he's never done before, like giving more days off, doing more, sorry, doing less instead of more. And that was a sign of not knowing what to do, really.

But at the same time, by December, January, everybody knew what had to be done, which was new. heads in charge of the team next to him and new legs which they started getting in January. For them, by the way, just one thing in relation to what Steph was saying earlier, finishing top five already in December, January, they considered it as much as a trophy or a reward as winning four leagues in a row. They were in such a bad state that they thought if we finished top five, we're going to celebrate this like we've never celebrated before. And star over. He has done it before, Sam. He has managed to bring Manchester City back because the last

time they had a sort of slightly off-season, they came back and won four titles in a row. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I don't think there's any question about, I don't know, his desire or his ability, I suppose last season, because look, the run went on for so long. And another thing I was hearing so often in the media and in conversations was, look, it is City, like, surely with the players they've got with the manager they've got, surely they're going to find a solution. And it took until the end of March, really, once the damage had been done in terms of title aspirations

and the Champions League, they were long out of it by then. It took that long to get it together. But I feel like Guardiola managed to find the solutions towards the end of the season in not a particularly attractive way that a lot of fans didn't really buy into. And I think going into next season, the fear is that they're going to play the same way. At the end of last season, it was very much everybody in the middle.

so when I talked about Gundewan and Bernardo Silver as well maybe not having the legs to play in a big stretch game they went well we're not going to make the game stretched everyone's going to be in midfield not so many wingers not so many runs in behind not so many through balls the stuff that fans want to see even more control like you mentioned earlier Kelly than usual but I think that was a means to an end to kind of stop that rot

and then going forward into this season they didn't have the best of times in the club world cup they definitely expected to do better than they did and they've only had one preseason friendly since then so it's hard to gauge where they're at, but you can see the intention to play quicker, to take more risks in possession. And I think that's because there's a lot more confidence in the team

that they can be more stable off the ball like they weren't last year. And I think that is, I see already a step forward's taken. And in terms of whether Guardiola can do it again, I don't know if they'll win it next season. I don't know if they win two or three or four in a row. But I think they'll be much better. I think that process has already started.

And it's well underway, actually. Yeah, there were changes already happening towards the end of last season, Steph, weren't there at Manchester City, in terms of the way that they set up, as Sam was outlining? Yeah, I think for me, that was probably the most evident.

I think when you watch City, they very much like control of the ball. They like to control the game and the opponent's half. And I think there was probably around November, December, when we didn't win enough games because we were getting exposed on that transition. I think we lacked legs, we lacked physicality.

And I think after them four seasons, winning them four trophies, I think a lot of them games, a lot of them players have played a lot of minutes so actually it kind of felt as though a call up with the team but I think Sam was right

in the sense of like I think that was the main focus was to be a bit more solid all over the pitch and you're picking players with a lot of experience than like Sir Gundigan, Bernardo you've seen Kevin DeBroner

towards the end when he found out his contract wasn't getting renewed that he actually came to form he came to life a little bit and kind of that sparked that kind of run to get back into the Champions League

so I think for me I think even though you want us to go back to the old city wearing that treble season where they were absolutely brilliant and everybody's trying to copy that kind of wave playing, I think for me, I think a little bit of that kind of security in midfield is probably going to stay this season. I think this is about building confidence. You've got new players coming in and trying to recapture that form that we've shown for so many years at Manchester City. Former city midfielder Didi Haman was on Five Live Breakfast yesterday and he said, Guy and you've got to light a fire

in a team with the fans and make people believe and I'm not sure he's got that fire anymore. I'm not sure they're going to win another big title under Guardiola. I'd be surprised, to be honest. But the part I wanted to ask you about as somebody who knows how he works and how he feels is

whether you think he has that fire. And even if he has that fire, does the fire change as you progress as a manager? Is it maybe just a different kind of fire? I don't think nobody can predict if the fire that we see now, he's got it in his eyes, in the jokes with the players, in how he came refreshed from the summer, if that will continue until the end of the season. He's got a two-year contract, and 100% at the end of those two years, he will not continue with club football, 100%.

But nobody can tell you that that may not even happen earlier, that this could be his last season. So when you ask around and you try to dig in, you know, hearing him talk and it's like, is he this excited because he's his last season? Or is it this excited because you really feel that he's got in his hands, a team that he can mold and create a new Manchester City. He's, well, third in his time at the club, his third version of a winning site. And at the club they said, we don't care. As long as we see him this happy with this.

you know, shine in his eyes. I don't care if it's the last season. I don't care if he's just going to leave this summer. But it is a possibility. If he sees himself with the ability to continue, then you'll see him a second year, but you will not see it a third year. So we're seeing the end of Pep Wardyola as a manager

and prove of it if you needed it. His last season, he made the FA way two months to give them an answer about being England a national manager. Two months in which he thought, is that it? Is that it? And then eventually he went like, no, it's not it. But he wasn't convinced himself.

So we're at that place in his career. Do you get a different energy when you are 50 than when you are 40 or when you are 60? Absolutely. Is it enough energy to actually continue a whole season or even two? Just don't know. We just don't know. Yeah, I think, Guillem, I get what you're saying. It was interesting.

I went to Palermo this weekend with the club. and travelled with the team. Obviously, all of us flew over, content team. We went over, traveled with the boys. And the feel that I got from the actual, even from the flight, from us getting off the plane to the bus,

to going to the ground, the game being there, it was different to last season. And I think that energy that you talk about, Giam, I think it's back, but I think it's not just from PEP himself. I think it's the excitement of these players

that are coming in, these new signings, this chance to actually mold this team to potentially be really, really successful. And I think that's what he really thrives off, that hunger. And I think he's still as animated as ever on the sideline. But I think the biggest thing is that he's getting that reception from the players in training. I think it did start in the Club World Cup. I think them three or four games that the boys played, I think you're seeing them a little bit more aggressive.

There's a bit more tempo compared to the end of last season. And in that Christmas period where we weren't at that level. But for me, I think just to be part of that journey and be on that coach and to be on the plane and fly over and watch and be really intrigued and have them little conversations. And I think for me as well, the additions of Pepblanders and Cole Otore

are massive for PEP. I think we speak about challenge and you think about Pepbler's journey with Juergen Klopp and the tactics that they use. You can see that little bit of change in Manchester City, especially when they lose the ball, but also when they're attacking on that transition, that kind of tempo is definitely a lot better

than what we previously used to see in. Pepp Lindis is not Juan Malillo, for instance, who not being a yes man, but he wasn't the one challenging Pepe Wardola in the way that perhaps he should have last season. He does, Pep Lindis does challenge him, and he's helping to add that energy, that explosiveness that Manchester City didn't have.

And Pebb is loving that, Wardiola. It's loving the fact that actually he just comes with an idea and somebody says, well, in this case, but Linda's like, oh, maybe we should go that all the way. And he feels that that is something that reinvigorates him. And then it's a year since he's separated. It's not a month, two months, seven months, ten months is a year now. So life goes on and perhaps he's able now to see things a little bit different as well personally. and when he starts calling his friends to watch Champions League games

organising that already is because he's looking forward to what's coming up and that's the pep that you need. There's also been a change in terms of the director of football, Sam, where Chiki Baguerresteen, who was perhaps close ally at the club, is now gone after 13 years. What's his relationship like with Hugo Viana

and how will that change things in terms of what goes on behind the scenes at City? I think as long as Hugo Vianna is good at his own job, it won't change things too much. There was obviously a massive personal relationship between Pep and Cheeky that goes back to their playing days of Barcelona. They were great friends and like, I don't know, like obviously 15 years ago, Hugo Viana wouldn't have taken the sporting director role at City. But if it had been somebody else at City, not Cheeky Biguerstein,

Guadiolla wouldn't have gone to City. That was the big relationship between them. So it's not going to be the same. Like any one of us speaking here or listening here, how would it be if somebody comes and replace your best mate at work? It's going to be a different relationship. But as long as that working relationship is still positive, as long as everybody's still good at their job and making good decisions,

I don't think that will have too much of an impact at all. I was just going to say on that, Chiguihikidistan always said, I will leave when pepwardiola leaves. And then he went like, do you know what? I'll leave you to it. Just had enough of you all. I'm going now.

I'm 60. I'm going. And he decided to go. And when they started researching for people that was like Chiquibakey this time, not only knowledge, but calm, who develops good relationships with people, with new energy, younger. Hugo Biana fitted all that. And the most important of all is that Pet doesn't have to explain to Hugo Biana why they lost or what they won or why they drew because he thinks about football, the style and everything else, exactly as Pep. So as Sam says, he's doing his job. He's good at it. If you look and when we talk about the players that have arrived, they were the best in their leagues at doing some of the things that they need to do at Manchester City. So the work was done partly about Chiqui, but

Hugo has been working there for a while and the relationship is extraordinary between Pep and Hugo Viana. Yeah, I think one thing about Pep, when we're just talking about the fire as well and the relationship with Chiki and Chiki eventually going on, look, he's going to outlast me, nobody expected this. And when we're thinking about what Pep's going to do. going to do next or how he's got to this point. Does he still have the fire? Could he have gone then? Could he have gone then? He's basically addicted to it. Last year, just after signing the new contract, he gave an interview with Danny Garcia, a Spanish chef. And he was like, why'd you do it? And he's like picking the team. I like visualising what's going to happen. I like, you know,

it's going to be a drama if we lose. He talked about all these different things. And he was like, that adrenaline. And he tailed off and he said, I'd like to stop, but I can't. He didn't use the word addiction but the way he spoke about it he is addicted to it. Like if we talk about the fire and the energy and the working relationships with people and people who come in and go in and members of his staff have left already

Juan Marlio's common garden, all these kind of things. Guadioela, we can't really think of him in normal terms of would we go out on the high after winning the treble? Yeah, probably. Would we go out on a high after winning four in a row? Yeah, probably. Would we go out after this difficult season? Yeah, maybe. We can't really apply what we would do

to what he does or how he does it. the good and the bad, and he keeps mentioning in interviews last season when all the fans were singing to get in sacked in the morning, that's obviously kind of giving him a point to prove as well. So that factor of point to prove and also just the addiction to the job,

like the desire just to always get better and keep doing it, like Eam says, like he's messaging friends to arrange watching the Champions League. There's just this incredible hunger that it's not that common, I wouldn't say, only at the very, very top of sport. step we focus so much on pep guadiola when we talk about manchester city because he is so crucial and he is a generational talent in terms of in terms of coaching is there a world i'm not suggesting that you know pep guadiola's on his way i'm not suggesting that but is there a world in which city continued to evolve that that guadiola when he eventually does decide to go leaves behind a dynasty at manchester city is it set up for that kind of that kind of that kind of sustained period of success? I really do think so, Kelly.

I think in terms of the club, I think, from the men's side, the female side. I think in terms of the kind of way that every team plays, what we really believe in. I think, obviously, Pepper's been a massive part of that. His legacy will be always remembered. Obviously, I'd love him to stay forever because I have so much respect and for what he's done, success. But we've got to be realistic. I think them two years, if he stays still June, 2027,

I think we need to enjoy every moment that PEP's going to be there. But I do think like this club and football just never stops and you've always got to be kind of prepared for what if and what next and to try and remain at the top of the game for as long as possible. So I think in terms of the Manchester City hierarchy, they're very clued up in the sense of that they want this team to be continued to be successful. and you take the tricky role in terms of, did we ever really expect that? Did we think they would both go together?

But actually it happened two years earlier than PEP's current contracts. So I think you've got to be prepared, but it's always about getting the right people in that are able to do the job that the fans expect, but also the club themselves expect as well. The Dakar Rally is the ultimate off-road challenge, perfect for the ultimate defender, the high-performance defender, 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine and intelligent 6D dynamics air suspension.

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This is the Football Daily podcast with Kelly Kitts. Another cloud hanging over Manchester City is the outcome of the hearings into their 115 charges. for allegedly breaching the Premier League's financial rules. The hearings concluded in December with recent reports suggesting that an initial outcome won't come before at least October. Let's bring in Kieran McGuire from the Price of Football podcast. Kieran, it's been delayed again. When are we going to get an outcome in this?

I think you were right to say, Kelly, that at least October is probably the right assessment. We could be having this conversation next spring with so many charges. and so many pieces of evidence. If we go back to the Everton Commission hearing for a relatively narrow breach of the rules, there was 50,000 pieces of evidence. Well, Manchester City's case covers a nine-year period. So we're talking hundreds and hundreds,

well, you know, five or six hundred thousand pieces of evidence. You've then got the three people on the commission trying to get them around a table or a Zoom conversation or similar, given that they've got a huge commitments elsewhere. where will also be challenging. So it's not unusual in cases which involve corporate issues of this nature for the hearing to take one or two years before you get an outcome. So it's not unusual, but there is this incredibly long-lasting dispute

between the Premier League and one of its members clubs and the cost that's involved in this. You know, from Manchester Cityside and from the Premier League's, side, which is probably why the Spurs chairman Daniel Levy spoke about this in a recent interview with Gary Neville on the overlap and said, it's gone on far too long. For the good of the game, it needs to be brought to a conclusion

one way or another. Is there a sense that this is damaging the game? I think there's certainly a view taken by quite a few clubs. And I think it's mainly the clubs that are not involved in this dispute in the sense that at the start of the season, And when I've spoken to some of what you might call the mid-tier clubs, their main concern, as you rightly highlighted, Kelly, is that the costs of this case could easily exceed 100 million pounds.

That would have to be borne by both parties, potentially, or if there's a crushing victory on one party ahead of the other, then it could be that they could be seeking costs. So it could be very messy. I understand Daniel Levy's perspective here. there are some clubs that are keener to deal with the Manchester City case and others. I think at the same time, some clubs that are more concerned is that the clock is continuing to run and it's coming out of their share of the Premier League broadcast revenues ultimately. Sam, players will say that they don't really think too much and too deeply about anything that goes on at a board level.

But do you think there is a way in which the rumbling on of, of this is affecting what happens on the pitch. Do you think it was a factor last season? I really, really don't. It's not the first time that City have been involved in this sort of thing. They obviously got banned from the Champions League and then had to go and overturn that in 2020. Now, coincidentally, that was the last time they didn't win the league. But that came in February.

We already knew in December they weren't going to win the league that year. It was a coincidence then. It's a coincidence now. This is a strange thing to say, but it's almost like an occupation. hazard of playing for city i guess this thing is hanging over here it's impending you don't know when it's ever going to come if it's ever going to come um but you just get on with it you know players have been signed in that period players were signed before there was a cast verdict or whether they'd be in the champions league or not um players have been signed in the what two years since the

charges were leveled by the premier league players were signed last last summer with when we knew the hearing was going to start soon i i don't i don't see it having any impact you know if it's on their mind it's it's you know all the stuff we talked about in the first 30 minutes or so about last season that's that's the reason for last season everything game said about pep maybe going into his shell a bit or more days off and the assistance not helping out so much and the tactical implications the injuries everything like that that's that's by far a bigger factor than than this it's it's just something that i would say used to but i don't even think it's on the radar enough to even be used to it It's just there somewhere in the effort

until it ever becomes real. Yeah, I agree with Sam, but I'll add something else. If the plan is for Peboradio, as I say, to retire at club level at the end of this season or next season, but if Manchester City went to the championship or whatever, that's the guarantee that he'll stay longer. It's an educated guest, but I'm thinking, yeah, you bring us down, just wait for it.

And he may just give him a new lease of life. but he, Sam has heard it so many times in press conferences everybody will always say the same I trust the people that are taking decisions and that's it so he himself has put it at the back of his mind

but it kind of paints a picture in the head of people within the club see the whole world is against us which is quite useful to actually gather forces and energy and that has been used few times some of the celebrations of the titles have been on

the background of despite the fact that everybody hates us, there we are. So, you know, in a funny way, kind of helps them. Kieran, do Manchester City have to have financial contingency plans in place for any eventuality in this case? They will have prepared a series of budgets, depending upon good, moderate and bad outcomes here. If we take a look at what happened with Nottingham Forest and Everton, who had a six and a four-point deduction. I think it's fair to say that should the case go against Manchester City,

you could probably add a zero to those numbers. And therefore, Manchester City's participation in the Premier League would all of a sudden become a relegation fight. That's assuming, of course, that the case is resolved this year. And they would have to be able to come up with a budget of dealing with football in the championship. As Giam said, I think actually Pep, to a certain extent likes the thought of Stoke on a Tuesday night because every manager wants to test themselves at every level. Kieran, great talking to you. Thank you so much for joining us. We've spoken about this before and from what you're saying, I think we'll be speaking about this again. I fear so. Thank you very much to Kieran McGuire for joining us. Sam, that, you know, the point that

you made in all of that is that Manchester City, even with this going on in the in the background, and are still going out, they're still active in the transfer market, around 150 million pounds so far in this transfer window, refreshing the squad. When you compare that to some of the outlays, it's, for example, about 100 million less than Liverpool, and that's without factoring a potential move for ESAC into the equation. Do you think, are you surprised that maybe they haven't done a little bit more?

Well, I mean, in fairness, I think this refresh started in January, they never normally do business in January. Yeah. So when Guardia signed the new contract in the October international break, I think they thought that was as bad as the run was going to get. And then they lost to Liverpool at the start of December. And it was like, oh, okay, this is now completely different. And I think from the middle of, sorry, from the start of December to the middle of December,

they went from, we'll just try and get one midfielder in January to we actually need to get quite a few in. So I think that process started then. They spent 180 odd in January, 150 now, just to kind of. shake things up a little bit. It was obviously necessary as well. You know, you asked Steph earlier about does this happen and did the team reach the end of a cycle? And Steph mentioned how last year they didn't really shake up.

They brought in Savino, obviously now ironically, might leave. And Gundwin came back, but they'd not been spending huge amounts considering they were bringing in huge amounts from players sales. Like Julio Lillian Alvarez leaving, Cancelo left, and they've obviously got this never-ending conveyabout of academy talent that they seem to sell off for 15, 20, 25 million a time. Cole Palmer, a few years ago, 45 million. So basically now they're just, they're spending that money

that they've built up, kind of like Liverpool have been as well. So, yeah, they've spent enough. In terms of, I'm surprised, they haven't done a bit more. You know, there was a report last week that they've turned down an approach for coverage, and you think, well, if you get an approach for coverage, you know, maybe there's an opportunity there to strengthen the midfield now, but knowing city and how they work,

they've probably got their eye on somebody for next summer, and it wouldn't be doable now and it wouldn't be feasible now and they've probably got their top target in mind for that but a little surprised in that sense especially because they had such desire before the Club World Cup to get those three in and do it and you think okay

this is going to be a big summer and it's kind of lost momentum a little bit but at the same time they do look very different to the team that started last season Steph we're talking about the money that City have spent in refreshing the squad this summer and players who've come in

But actually, when you look at the players who've gone out and they weren't at the peak of their career and Kevin DeBrona and Carl Walker, and you know, you could very easily argue that it was the right time for them to leave. But it's a lot to lose in terms of leadership, experience and that know-how of getting yourself over the line in terms of winning a title.

Yeah, it's massive, I think, them two players that you mentioned, and Carl Walker and Kevin DeBron and what they brought on and off the pitch for a number of years was sometimes that is irreplaceable because they've experienced absolutely every part of what football brings, the highs, the lows and obviously managing a group of players that, of course, everybody expects to play,

but this group's strength was being able to be respectful of those that are playing and being ready to come on and to kind of, when they're needed, be needed and perform with quality. But I think obviously Kevin DeBroyner, I think an absolute legend of the football club, what he could do on the pitch and just the way that he was able to give the team confidence when he was there and to make something happen.

Of course, that is just someone that's so unique and it's going to be so hard to replace what he brought in that sense and trying to change a game and putting in a pass for Erland Harland to score. We haven't really got that specific player with his kind of qualities. But I think for me,

I think obviously new captain and Bernardo Silver, a very experienced player. He's well liked by all the city fans. I think everybody loves how much he puts in and he loves the club and the newfound leadership team of him, Ruben Diaz, Roder and Arlen Harland, they are going to be mainstays of this team for a long, long time.

So, of course, those players like Kyle Walker, Kevin DeBreiner and what they've achieved at the club and the leadership that they brought was unbelievable and down to a tee. But I think, for me, I think that group of players specifically that's been put into this leadership team have got a big role to play but they've been experiencing the won things and

are able to manage a group hopefully yeah as much as they've lost experience there is still title winning experience because it's only been one season in that Manchester City squad yeah and let's let's focus for a second as well as those that we know very well those that have arrived

and actually were as I said earlier the best at what they do which is what they need to do at Manchester City I mean, Tijani Reinders is already considered a top-top player in the squad. It's just like a Gundagand, but much more dynamic. He appears everywhere, and he was in Syria last season, the player that broke the position defensive line with pass more often. So that's what Citi do.

Cherokee was after Bruno Fernandez and Rafini, the player in the top five leagues that created more chances. He will have to find his position and will have to drive with the ball much less. I mean, it's got to get into his head. His head are already 20 times from Pep. And of course, with Ryan Aynoury, they sorted out the left back situation. They think he's a fantastic number 10.

He's a full by that comes inside. He had 11 goals involvement last season. And it's one of the two fullbacks to make more off balls, off ball runs into the box in the Premier League last season. So you're talking about somebody that is very, very serious. those are going they're not big names but they will become big names so they weren't finding a right back that could make the difference so they have to do with a kanji with nunez with stones not a specialist there and the the goalkeeping situation is interesting I think the plan is Ortega goes on loan somewhere

Edison no offers for him but if they were they will listen oh donaruma is available and then considers him one of the top three goalkeepers in the world so there's still things that could happen from around until the end of the market. Yeah, there's still time for things to happen in the market, as you say. But in terms of the players who've come in, Steph, as Giam said, there might not be experience in terms of age coming into the squad, but their players who, as Giam said, have played at the very top of their game as they come into Manchester City. These aren't, they're not necessarily buying potential here.

No, they're really not, I think, especially. with Tejani Rinders, I think for me, I've been really, really impressed with them in terms of, I think nowadays we either find a number six or them number 10 midfielders, whereas now he is an all-rounder. He can make late runs into the box.

He can provide assist, like Gilliam said, in terms of them line-breaking passes, he can score, he scored two at the weekend, should have had three. You can also get himself around the pitch, and that's something that we definitely have missed over the last season, but it's only because we've had so much

the ball whereas now the competition's getting high and we need to have them players that a little bit able to do a bit of everything and I think Cherokee for me I think to be able to take set pieces with both feet to be able to kind of do the things that he does with the ball in terms of

dribbling at plays but also like Liam said it's going to take him a while to get used to maybe trying to that decision making of when to release the ball and you can see the players like Mahmush at the weekend and he just couldn't read what Cherokee was trying to do he's always thinking three or four passes ahead

and that's what we need to do to break down teams with low blocks we need that little bit of cleverness around the box and we need that little bit of speciality so for me I think these are very, very clever and shrewd sirens

and probably ones that have been thought about for a long, long time. That's my worry. So in terms of energy and Per Bordiola and the players got in his hands, there's three groups of players,

not the ones who heard it all before, they know, but they have to do it again. Those that have been for a while there and learning but still not there and those that is completely new to him and he's got to find the energy to actually convince them all to mold them. That's what he does. Obviously,

Pep Brandes and the new coaches have got a lot of energy and they're new to it and they will want to help. But that is the doubt. It's just that every time I raise that with people that are close to him they say, yeah, yeah, but at the moment his eyes of the lead he's happy and

Steph has seen herself. He just wants to drive the whole thing. But He's got a lot of work to do. And that's why when you ask, well, okay, what's the target this season? They'll say, to be alive in March, not to be dead in January like last season, to be alive. Failure is not to win the league in the last game of the decision. That's not failure. You got there.

Failure is to actually be dead in January. So they want to get to March and then compete every game and see what happens. They're not going like, we're going to win every competition that is because they don't know if that's possible. No, and it's going to be difficult for them to do. They have done it, but it's going to be difficult for them to do it again. Sam, I want to ask you about Jack Reelish and this season long loan to Everton. I was talking to an Everton fan earlier on and podcast hosts a little bit earlier on on Five Live Sport, who was saying this seems to have surprised everybody except Everton fans.

What's your take on this move? It's a difficult one because I think, I don't think anybody wanted to succeed. at, well, okay, he did succeed at City in the sense that he was a very big part of them winning the treble, like, that nobody could ever take that away from him and nobody would ever be able to or want to. But nobody would want to have succeeded more at

City than Greelish. And the fact that two seasons ago, when he missed the last four or five games of the season, he missed the FA Cup final, he was left out of the Euro squad, he did all the preseason interviews that you would expect, like, okay, I need to come back, I need to be better, and he had injuries in that season.

I need to be better, I need to do more. last season was worse in terms of availability in terms of, you know, there was like publicised nights out. And again, like, you know, he was out at Oasis the other week. And it's like, it's fine. We were all out at Oasis of the week. But it's like, it's always gruelish. Everyone who could get tickets, Sam.

Yeah, okay, fine. Oh, you could have gone up to the hill. But yeah, like, but like, it's just, there's always that. And it's like, well, I think it's such a common argument that we hear. But this might be the only space where people are talking about on mainstream media, where I don't think any of us would agree that he was too creative for PEP, but he wasn't given the right freedom. I think everybody in the world says he wasn't given enough freedom.

It's just patently not true. If you look, nobody dribbles in world football more than Docu, certainly not at that standard. Nobody in Europe's top five leagues attempts more dribbles than him. Savino is up there in the top five, top ten. Riyad Morris gave an interview recently. He said, Pep tells us in the final third, you've got freedom. That was on the back of being asked about what Kingsley-Comond said when they were by in Munich and

Komen said the same thing we get the freedom in the final third that's not the issue with Grealish but he's not been able to kind of I think apply himself

would be the most political phrase I could probably use he's not being able to find that motivation within him despite the fact that surely he wants to succeed

everything he said last summer about I need to bounce back he believed and he meant but he wasn't able to do it and talking about the captaincy earlier I see Bernardo Silver's given an interview and he talks about his biggest

task and the captain's group's biggest task is to make sure everyone's got good behaviour and respect for being on time and performing while in training sessions and I'm not saying Grealish would have been the only one guilty at that but I think he was definitely guilty of that he wasn't always given the best version of himself

if he goes to Everton and plays to his full potential he'd be fantastic signing for Everton and it'll be great for him and I genuinely hope that happens but I really wish he'd been able to do it at a city because we could have seen the full ability of Grealish. No Nobody would be talking about too much freedom or not enough freedom or whatever.

They just see him for the player and the person that he is. But unfortunately, it hasn't worked out. And him going to Everton, if he can stay focused and concentrated, it would be great. But it is a big if. And I think that's ultimately why it didn't work out of a city. More than the standard, what he wants is somebody that focus, the whole of his attention and the whole of his life into football. And he hasn't managed to get Jack Gerely's do that.

And if he thinks that he goes to Everton with the whole, of having less pressure at C.T. and see if he can express himself, something else coming, because the pressure at Everton is one of the highest in the whole of the Premier League. But I feel he's been given enough opportunities to take the road that gets you to be the best consistently. He's been given enough opportunities, and he hasn't taken them. So at this point of his career, it's interesting that he goes to Everton, when perhaps, Perhaps if there was nobody watching, he may have to go somewhere where he enjoys his football, somewhere where less is expected, and grow from there.

And then determine what level he's at, because we're still pointing out at moments of brilliance that not many can repeat, but so spares in the last few months, years. So maybe he's not at that level. And maybe he's got to recover not just the confidence, he's got to focus. and then make the effort to get to that level. But if he doesn't, not to consider a failure either. I just wonder if he's going in his head with that thing of, I have to be a success in city, which he tried.

Now it's been him who said, right, I need to go because he's felt that nobody around him was saying, next season you're going to succeed. Okay. And at that point, maybe he should have been even more honest to himself and say, where do I really belong? I'm not sure he's answered that one, because he's gone to a place with a lot of pressure. It could well be a lot of pressure for Jack Grealish at Everton,

but he will be hoping that it brings out that kind of Aston Villa era Grealish that everybody so much enjoyed watching in the Premier League. But as Giam said, that might well be a question of finding where his level is and finding the place that he fits. Another England footballer who had a disappointing season for City last season. And then, you know, you've all talked about the fact there are a few players who weren't performing at the height that we've, seen them over previous seasons, was Phil Foden.

He was named player of the year in 2024, but then it was just seven goals and two assists in the league last season. And he's talked, Steph, about some of the reasons for that. But more encouraging for Manchester City is that he said he thought he was much better at the Club World Cup. He feels his performances definitely got better from the season before. And he wants to get back to that level. He himself talks about the standards that he puts in and about putting that work in.

in training in order to get back from them. And that's going to be music to city fans' ears. Yeah, if Manchester City are going to be successful this season, it means that Phil Forden is probably playing at that level that we've seen in 2024. I think for me, I think we speak about pressure. There is pressure on Phil Forden, Manchesterbourne. Everybody sees him as the local lad.

That's their new hero. Everybody wants to in the academy emulate Phil Ford and his journey that he's been on. And, yeah, of course, last season was. something that none of us really ever probably predicted in terms of the form and the massive dipping form that he did have and the lack of influence in games that really should be kind of taken a hold of. And I think he's been quite open in terms of he probably wasn't enjoying his football as much as he previously did.

And in known Phil and watching him train, he's always one of the best trainers at Manchester City. He absolutely just loves being on the football pitch. He's always the one that's staying out after trying to practice, trying to get better and improve. and I think all that work that he did before that 2024 season it actually came to fruition and now it's about the best players in the world are able to continuously be consistent

every single season. He has to try and find that and maybe sometimes you have to kind of maybe think GM spoke about failing maybe you have to fail a tiny little bit in terms of your comparison of your standard to actually think okay I need to try and kick on as much as possible

and we've seen signs of fill in how he performed in the club World Cup. You're seeing him a bit more lively, more energetic, sharp, a bit more confident on the ball. And for me, this is a big season for him. And I think he'll know that himself, that he has to be able to perform. And especially with Kevin DeBroyner going, I think there's a place where potentially he could be that main guy that's able to create stuff for sitting for that forward line if he plays in that number 10 position. Let's get through a couple of kind of topics quite quickly. Starting with Rodry, Guillem, and these links with Real

Madrid. How much should we believe about that? How much of it is the classic Real Madrid tactic of just giving players a little nudge and a whisper? It's called classic for a reason because that's what they do and that's what they're doing.

But there's 100% or let's start it again. Zero chances of him leave Manchester City this summer. Not one single chance this summer. And then we will see as the contract will finish I think is in a couple of years. he's absolutely crucial, as we said at the beginning

and we go back to the beginning to what Manchester City do with And the Pep he's at the moment needs another two months of plane more often than not let's see what mussels do to him already's got already an injury as we know a couple taken since he's come back but he's absolutely crucial

with Reinders, it can take his time but they need him so he's not leaving this summer not at all yeah and as you said Pep Guardiola said he won't be really fit until at least after the September international break. So he's not even thinking in those terms, as Giam's been telling us. The other big question, and Giam raised this earlier, particularly with Donna Ruma, sort of starting to look like he's available, Sam, is what happens with James Trafford and Edison and who becomes Manchester City's first

choice goalkeeper across this season, whether they try that kind of system that didn't really work particularly well at Arsenal where they rotated the keepers, whether Donna Ruma comes into that kind of, into that rotation, whether he comes in as number one and then Trafford or Edison is pushed into number two. There are all kinds of possibilities here. What would you think? Yeah, I don't see Donna Ruma coming in if Edison's still there. It could only be a replacement.

But even that would be interesting because last week when Trafford comes in, you think I quite like that dynamic. That makes sense. You've got Edison here who's wanted to go last summer. There's questions around him this summer. might go next summer, contracts up pretty soon. Trafford can spend a year learning with him. He can be the number two, but the number two at City,

they play big games, they play Champions League games, they play FA Cup games, they play FA Cup finals. That would be great for Trafford in the first season. And then you think the succession plan is obvious. Edison will go next summer the summer after. Trafford steps in. Now if Donna Ruma comes in, it's the similar challenge for Trafford,

but Dona Ruma's not going to leave next summer the summer after. He would presumably be the main guy for much longer. And obviously, the job that Trafford would want to do, I suppose, is dislodge Edison sooner. Let's say if there was an injury or Trafford just came in and he was great. And look, Edison was out of the team last December, January. That could happen again this year.

But if Donner Runner comes in, the task does become harder. So that is a very interesting one as far as Trafford is concerned. I would imagine he was kept abreast of that possibility. I would hope so. But yeah, it's not, it wouldn't be a huge surprise. if Erdison were to leave because like I say he has flirted with it for about 18 months now

but yeah he just seemed to be late in the window I think City been waiting all summer and also with Ortega I think City kind of they took the initiative there they were okay we're going to get Traffered in and we can push Ortega out a little bit because I think Ortega was open to a big move at the start of the summer

to go be a number one somewhere didn't get that opportunity and he thought you know what being at City's not too bad I'll stay and I think City went actually we want to force the issue a bit we're going to make that change so yeah I think they've been waiting for offers or somewhere for either goalkeeper

and I guess we'll have to see how that pans out yeah so Guillem do we need to see an offer for one of those goalkeepers in order for Dona Ruma to become a city player for Edison Ortega will be a send on loan or salt that's decided and if Edison

there's been a rumor about Galatasar at the moment they just haven't got an offer for him so they cannot determine anything but I am surprised that Peb considers Donaruma one of the top three goalkeepers in the world because yes, in the six-year box, no doubt he's got something special, doesn't he?

He sees things before the forward kicks the ball. But with his feet, he's not the best. So unless he thinks, oh, well, I can change that, which would be a Pewardela way of thinking. In any case, it'll be something that he'll have to do as he still tries to save and earn points for the team. So it's an interesting one. I don't seem at that level, but obviously Pepewardiola does,

which means that if the opportunity arises, they'll get him. We'll be keeping an eye on that one throughout the transfer window, which still has over two weeks left for deals to happen in. Guillaume, thank you very much for your company this evening. Thank you very much to Sam Lee. Thank you very much to Steph Horton as well. That is it for this episode of the Football Daily. On the next one, Aaron Paul and Joby McEnough are back with 72 plus.

And there'll be reaction to Thomas Frank's first competitive game in charge of Spurs as they take on PSG in the Super Cup. Thank you.