When Iliman Ndiaye finally puts pen to paper at the Etihad, City will be getting a winger whose dribbling stats put him in the Premier League's top bracket. The Senegalese international completed 73 take-ons last season, a figure bettered by only one man in the entire division: Jeremy Doku, with 84.

That puts Ndiaye second in the league's take-on charts, and it's a trait that should translate neatly into Enzo Maresca's system. The Blues have spent the summer adding players with specific, elite qualities, and Ndiaye's willingness to run at defenders fits the profile.

"He was second in this category in the Premier League to Jeremy Doku who completed 84."

It's not just volume either. The Athletic's Conor O'Neil reports Ndiaye completed 49% of his take-ons last season, a success rate that suggests his dribbling isn't just frequent but effective.

For a side that already possesses Doku's explosiveness, adding another player who can beat a man one-on-one gives Maresca options. The FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders are clearly building with an eye on breaking down deep defences, and Ndiaye's ability to commit defenders and create space could prove invaluable.

Everton's loss looks set to be City's gain, and while the fee hasn't been disclosed, the profile is right. Ndiaye is a player who looks ideally suited to life under Maresca, and the prospect of him and Doku on opposite flanks is a mouth-watering one for City supporters.

Reports suggesting Enzo Fernandez is heading to Manchester City have been labelled a 'done deal', yet the same speculation points to Chelsea enduring a rather awkward double rejection in the same window.

According to the claims, the Argentine midfielder is set to make the move across Manchester, a prospect that would surely bolster City's engine room. However, while Blues fans might be dreaming of a midfield anchored by Fernandez, the reality at Stamford Bridge appears less rosy.

The same source indicates that Chelsea have been knocked back by two players. It's a stark reminder that even with the financial muscle and project on offer in west London, not every target is convinced.

For City, the prospect of landing a player of Fernandez's calibre is an exciting one. His ability to dictate play from deep would offer another dimension to the squad's already impressive options in the middle of the park. Whether the 'done deal' tag proves accurate remains to be seen, but the speculation alone is enough to get pulses racing among the Etihad faithful.

Meanwhile, Chelsea's double rejection suggests that, for some players, the allure of the project at Stamford Bridge is not as strong as it once might have been. It's a curious state of affairs for a club of their stature, but one that City fans can observe with a wry smile.

Manchester City's squad rebuild is about to hit a number that looks less like a transfer budget and more like a small country's GDP. If the deals for Iliman Ndiaye and Enzo Fernández both go through before the deadline, the club's gross outlay on new players since January 2025 will nudge past €1bn.

According to figures compiled by FootballTransfers, City have already spent around €834m on signings since the start of last year. The £65m agreement with Everton for Ndiaye, plus whatever it takes to prise Fernández away from Chelsea, would push the total over the threshold.

It is a striking figure, though it deserves a little context. That €1bn is gross expenditure, not net. The club have also brought in substantial fees through sales during the same period, so the actual cash outlay is considerably smaller than the headline number suggests.

The spending spree began in earnest in January 2025, when Omar Marmoush, Nico González and Abdukodir Khusanov arrived in a flurry of activity. This summer has continued the theme, with Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi among the big-money additions and Brazilian winger Allan joining from Palmeiras.

Not everyone has stayed long. Marmoush and González have already moved on, and Savinho, Tijjani Reijnders, Rodri and James Trafford are among those to have left for fees this summer. The revolving door has been busy.

Ndiaye is the most likely next name through it, with a medical expected on Tuesday after City agreed a £60m fee plus £5m in add-ons with Everton. The Senegal international would add another option to the attack.

Fernández is a more complicated proposition. City have made contact with Chelsea over the Argentina midfielder, who is reportedly keen on a reunion with Enzo Maresca. Whether the two deals land in time remains to be seen, but the direction of travel is clear enough.

There is a certain logic to the transfer window that rarely gets the attention it deserves. One club signs a midfielder, and suddenly another club's entire summer changes shape. Right now, Chelsea's pursuit of Manu Koné might be the single most important move for Manchester City's own business.

According to Sky in Italy, Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal with Roma for the France international, with a fee in the region of £52m under discussion. Personal terms are said to be sorted, and the Blues are trying to get it over the line before the window shuts.

Koné, 25, joined Roma from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2024 and has since established himself in the France setup. He is not a name that would have been on many Premier League radars this time last year, but he fits the profile Chelsea have been chasing all summer.

The Fernández question

Here is where it gets interesting for City. Koné is being lined up as a direct replacement for Enzo Fernández, with talks continuing over the Argentina international's potential move to the Etihad. Chelsea have made it clear they would sell Fernández for the right price, provided they can bring in cover first.

That is the crucial bit. Chelsea are not going to let Fernández go and leave themselves short in midfield. Koné arriving changes that calculation entirely.

The stumbling block remains the fee. Chelsea value Fernández at around £120m, and City are yet to reach an agreement on that figure. It is a lot of money, even by the standards of this window, and it is hard to see it being resolved quickly.

On the player's side, things look more straightforward. Fernández is reportedly open to the move, and personal terms are not expected to cause any trouble if the clubs can strike a deal.

So the pieces are there. Chelsea get their replacement, City get their midfielder, and everybody moves on. The only question is whether the two clubs can bridge that gap between valuation and offer before the deadline.

Manchester City are on the verge of completing a deal worth up to £65m for Everton's Iliman Ndiaye, a move that would give Enzo Maresca a much-needed wide threat. The Senegal international is expected to undergo a medical on Tuesday, with personal terms understood to be in place.

The fee is structured at £60m guaranteed, with a further £5m in potential add-ons for the 26-year-old. It is a significant outlay for a player whose attacking numbers don't quite match the price tag.

City's pursuit of Ndiaye came after a move for Liverpool's Cody Gakpo stalled, with an £80m bid rejected. Tottenham had also shown interest in the former Marseille man.

The Blues' need for a winger has been glaring. Savinho and Omar Marmoush were both allowed to join Tottenham during the summer, and Friday's 4-1 win at Crystal Palace saw Phil Foden start out wide, with no recognised winger on the bench. Ndiaye, who can play on the left or through the middle, offers Maresca another genuine option in those areas.

He's comfortable receiving possession in congested areas, can beat opponents one-on-one and is willing to carry the ball towards defenders rather than simply move it on.

That profile is what City are buying. In two completed seasons at Everton, Ndiaye scored 15 Premier League goals, but his real value has always been in changing the tempo of an attack. At Goodison, he was often the sole source of inspiration. At City, he'll be surrounded by considerably more quality.

He arrives proven in English football and at an age where his best years should be ahead of him. Whether that justifies the outlay will depend on how quickly he adapts to a side expecting more than just a spark.

Jack Grealish's Manchester City chapter is all but written. The 30-year-old is poised to rejoin Everton on a season-long loan, with a medical scheduled for Tuesday morning before he completes his return to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign.

The move, first reported by The Athletic's David Ornstein, brings a degree of closure to a saga that has rumbled on since Grealish's injury-hit spell on Merseyside was cut short in January. A foot stress fracture ended his season just as he had established himself as a Toffees fan favourite under David Moyes.

Grealish's preference was always another stint at Everton. Sunderland made a formal loan offer, and several other clubs registered an interest, but the former Aston Villa captain had his heart set on a return to the blue half of Merseyside.

From Treble Hero to Fringe Figure

It is a curious fate for a player who, in 2022/23, was central to City's treble triumph. Grealish scored vital goals against Arsenal and Liverpool, started every Champions League knockout tie, and played his part in that 1-0 final win over Inter in Istanbul.

Since then, though, he has drifted. Guardiola's pecking order shifted, and last summer Grealish opted for a fresh start under Moyes. The loan included an option for Everton to buy him for £50 million, but the financial reality of his wages — understood to be around £300,000 a week — and lingering fitness concerns appear to have steered the Toffees towards another temporary arrangement.

The winger's recent appearances for City have been sporadic at best. He managed 45 minutes in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal in Cardiff and came off the bench in the opening-day win over Bournemouth. Last week, he did not even travel to London for the 4-1 win at Crystal Palace as his exit became inevitable.

Having been left out of Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad, Grealish spent the summer recuperating and missed City's pre-season tour of Hong Kong and South Korea. He returns to Everton with something to prove.

Next summer, he will be a free agent. Whether that means a permanent move to Goodison or a fresh challenge elsewhere, one thing is clear: the £100 million man's time at the Etihad is drawing to a close.

City's transfer window is taking another twist, with a straight-cash deal for Everton's Iliman Ndiaye now looking increasingly likely. Reports suggest an agreement is in place for the Senegal forward, with no swap involved — despite some of the noise around a player exchange.

The move comes as the Blues' long-running interest in Liverpool's Cody Gakpo appears to have cooled. A deal for the Dutchman was thought to be close, but that now looks unlikely to materialise, particularly if Ndiaye arrives.

It seems there's no swap deal in place, with a straight fee being paid to Everton.

With the deadline looming, City are now expected to finalise two deals — one for Ndiaye and one for Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez. The midfield addition follows Allan's arrival in the last couple of days, suggesting the squad is being reshaped in more than one area.

Whether Gakpo still features remains uncertain. The door isn't shut, but it's hard to see both deals happening, and Ndiaye appears to be the priority.

Manchester City have made an official approach to Chelsea for Enzo Fernandez, according to Fabrizio Romano. The move, long rumoured, finally has some substance to it.

Romano reports that this is the first time the Blues have formally engaged with the London club over the World Cup-winning midfielder. Fernandez now waits on Chelsea's response to City's bid.

It is not hard to see why Enzo Maresca would want him. The City manager has worked with Fernandez at Chelsea and believes the Argentine can be a strong addition to his squad. Familiarity, in this case, appears to be a factor.

There is, of course, the other side of the coin. Fernandez's involvement in a racism and homophobic chant controversy after Argentina's Copa America win in 2024 remains a stain on his record. That is not something that simply disappears because a manager likes the player.

For now, the ball is in Chelsea's court. Whether they accept City's approach, and what Fernandez himself decides, remains to be seen. But the silence has been broken.

In the space of a single day, Manchester City's transfer plans have been redrawn. A move that seemed destined for Liverpool's Cody Gakpo collapsed, and the Blues have already pivoted to a new target: Everton's Iliman Ndiaye.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, City and Everton are finalising a total package worth £65 million for the Senegalese winger. The deal is reportedly close to completion, with Ndiaye set to become a City player.

The Numbers Behind the Move

Ndiaye's arrival addresses a specific need. He is the player tasked with covering the loss of Omar Marmoush, and he brings a skill set that Maresca values highly in his wide men.

Last season, only two players in the Premier League completed 70 or more take-ons: Jérémy Doku and Iliman Ndiaye. If this deal goes through, City could soon have both in the same squad. That is a prospect that should worry every full-back in the division.

Ndiaye's one-on-one ability is his standout trait. He excels at taking on defenders, and his dribbling is a key asset. But he is not a one-trick pony. He can play on either wing or through the middle, and that versatility will give Maresca options.

A Player Ready for the Step Up

Ndiaye has grown during his time in England, thriving at Sheffield United and then Everton. He looks ready to make the jump to a club of City's stature.

The move brings a different element to City's attacking play. It is a signing that adds depth and quality, and it strengthens a squad that has been busy today.

The pivot from Gakpo to Ndiaye has come off. A hectic day has reached its conclusion, and the City squad will be stronger for it. It will be fascinating to see how the Senegalese international fares in blue.

City have started brightly, with six goals in their first two Premier League outings. Friday's 4-1 win at Crystal Palace felt like the most complete performance of the Italian's brief tenure. Yet the coming weeks will tell us far more about this side than any August afternoon.

A Fortnight of Firsts

After the international break, the Blues play five matches in sixteen days across three competitions. It is a stretch that will introduce Maresca to several unfamiliar experiences: a Champions League night, a Manchester derby, and the squad rotation that juggling commitments demands.

It begins with Coventry at the Etihad, a fixture that should offer a gentle re-entry. Three days later, City are in Portugal, and the tone shifts. Porto away is a step up from anything this squad has faced so far, and it represents Maresca's first taste of European football as City manager — complete with the quick turnaround from domestic duty that the competition demands.

The Derby Looms

Then comes the one everyone marks on the calendar. Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford, a first competitive meeting with United since Maresca took the job. It will be City's third game in nine days, and comfortably the biggest domestic fixture of his opening weeks. And of course, United are back (again).

Four days after the derby, Norwich arrive at the Etihad in the Carabao Cup. Expect changes. Ayyoub Bouaddi and some of the younger players could get minutes, with one eye on the Premier League match that follows three days later.

Rotation, Europe, and a Reckoning

The final fixture sees Sunderland visit the Etihad. By then, Maresca will have led City into Europe, navigated a derby, and been forced to rotate across three competitions. The results matter, but so does how he manages the load.

This is the fortnight that defines a squad's depth and a manager's adaptability. We are about to learn a great deal about both.

The Enzo Fernandez saga has taken another turn, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that a deal taking the midfielder to Manchester City is still 'on'. The claim arrives even as reports suggest Chelsea believe they have finalised their own move for the player.

Romano's update cuts through the noise. While Chelsea sources indicate their transfer is complete, the Italian journalist insists the City avenue has not closed. It is a familiar dance, played out in public, with two giants of the Premier League circling the same talent.

For City, the pursuit of Fernandez has never been straightforward. The club's interest is longstanding, but the financial gymnastics required to land a player of his profile — and the competition from a Chelsea side seemingly willing to pay whatever it takes — have complicated matters.

What Romano's 'deal on' remark suggests is that City have not walked away. Whether that means a formal bid is imminent, or merely that talks remain alive, is unclear. The picture is fluid, and it would be unwise to read too much into any single update.

Chelsea, for their part, appear confident. The claim that they have finalised the transfer carries weight, but in the modern market, 'finalised' is a word that gets thrown around loosely. Until a player is holding a scarf aloft, nothing is done.

For City fans, the hope is that the club's patience pays off. Fernandez would be a statement signing, a midfielder in the Rodri mould who could anchor the side for a decade. But football has a habit of disappointing those who count their chickens.

The next few days will be telling. If Romano is right, this one still has legs.

Early Life in Florianópolis

Allan was born on 19 April 2004 in Florianópolis, a coastal city in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina known as much for its surfing as its football. He started out in futsal at the age of seven with Clube 12 de Agosto, the small-sided game sharpening the close control and quick feet that would later define him on grass. At 14 he earned a place at local side Figueirense, where his talent quickly stood out.

His childhood was marked by tragedy as well as promise. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Allan lost his sister Leticia, and the goal celebration he has since made his own — an "L" traced with his hands — is a tribute to her memory. It is a mark of the character that Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira would later praise: a player, and a person, shaped by hardship but never defined by it.

Breakthrough at Palmeiras

Playing at a youth tournament in Minas Gerais, Allan caught the eye of Palmeiras, and in 2019 he made the move to São Paulo on his own, joining the Verdão's academy and being entrusted with the number 10 shirt at youth level. He repaid the faith emphatically, scoring 17 goals and providing four assists for Palmeiras's under-20 side and picking up a string of youth honours along the way, including the Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20 title in 2022 and 2024 and the prestigious Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior in 2023.

He renewed his contract with the club in December 2024, and the following January he was promoted to the first team. His senior debut came on 16 January 2025, coming off the bench in a 2–0 Campeonato Paulista win over Portuguesa, and just over a month later he opened his goalscoring account with the winner in a 3–2 victory over Mirassol. His Série A debut followed on 16 April 2025, and by June that year Palmeiras were confident enough in his development to tie him down to a new deal running until 2029.

Copa Libertadores Heroics

Allan's breakout moment came in the Copa Libertadores. After Palmeiras were beaten 3–0 away to Ecuador's LDU Quito in the first leg of a semi-final, Allan was central to a remarkable 4–0 comeback in the return fixture, curling in the cross that set up the opening goal for Ramón Sosa before being fouled late on to win the penalty that sealed the win. Abel Ferreira later spoke of a player who "can play as an eight, he can play out wide, and has an incredible burst of pace," praising his defensive work rate and verticality in equal measure.

By the 2025-26 season, with the likes of Estêvão and Facundo Torres having left the club, Allan had made the right-wing berth his own, helping fire Palmeiras to the top of the Brasileirão table and into the latter stages of the Copa do Brasil and Copa Libertadores. His form was recognised domestically with the Bola de Prata Breakthrough Player award for 2025.

The Move to Manchester City

Manchester City completed the signing of Allan on 31 August 2026, a deal worth in the region of €40 million (€37.5m up front, €2.5m in add-ons) that ties him to the club on a five-year contract until the summer of 2031. He becomes the latest in a growing line of Palmeiras academy graduates to make the move to Europe, following Vitor Reis to the Etihad in January 2025 and, before that, Gabriel Jesus in 2017.

Predominantly a right winger, Allan has also featured in midfield, as a second striker, and even at full-back for Palmeiras — a versatility that Director of Football Hugo Viana highlighted in welcoming him to the club. "We watched his progress in Brazil and saw a player that thrives in the big moments and works hard for the team with a superb attitude," Viana said.

Allan himself did not hide his emotion at completing the switch. "Manchester City, with everything they have won over the past 15 years, are one of the most attractive clubs in the world for players," he said. "To be able to sit here today and say I have joined them is the proudest moment of my life. I love Palmeiras and always will — but the decision to come to City was an easy one."

Style of Play and Personality

Standing at 1.76m, Allan is not the biggest attacker, but he compensates with explosive pace, close control honed on the futsal court, and an eagerness to track back and contribute defensively that marks him out from the archetypal luxury Brazilian winger. He is comfortable cutting in off the right, driving at defenders, and has shown he can influence games in the biggest moments, as his Libertadores heroics against LDU Quito demonstrated.

Off the pitch, Allan is described by those who have worked with him as humble and driven, a player who — by his own coach's admission — was still one of the lowest earners in the Palmeiras first-team dressing room even as his performances turned heads across Europe. His story, shaped by personal loss and years of hard graft from futsal courts to Série A, has earned him a reputation as one of the game's good characters as much as one of its promising talents.

Career Statistics and Honours

Club senior appearances (as of August 2026):

• Palmeiras 2024-25: 54 appearances, 3 goals, 8 assists
• Palmeiras 2025-26: 42 appearances, 6 goals, 6 assists

Youth Honours:

• Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20: 2022, 2024
• Copa do Brasil Sub-20: 2022
• Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior: 2023
• Campeonato Paulista Sub-20: 2023

Individual:

• Bola de Prata Breakthrough Player: 2025

Allan Elias's rise from a futsal court in Florianópolis to a five-year contract at Manchester City is a story of pace, versatility, and perseverance through personal tragedy. At 22, he arrives at the Etihad with the raw tools already evident in Brazil and a point to prove on the biggest stage in club football. If his early promise translates under Enzo Maresca, City may well have found another gem from the Palmeiras production line.

Claudio Echeverri's immediate future appears to be taking shape, with the Argentine youngster reportedly closing in on a season away from Manchester City.

The 20-year-old has spent the summer training with the first-team squad, and was among the substitutes for the opening-day win at Crystal Palace. But with competitive minutes likely to be hard to come by this season, a temporary exit looks increasingly probable.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Benfica are in talks with City over a loan deal that would take Echeverri to Lisbon. César Luis Merlo's reporting adds that Real Betis and Sheffield United were also keen on a temporary arrangement, though the Portuguese side appear to have moved to the front of the queue.

It has been reported that Echeverri's loan move to Benfica would include an option to buy.

Nicoló Schira goes further, suggesting personal terms have already been agreed with Benfica on a contract running until 2031, with the deal structured as a loan featuring an option to make the move permanent.

For a player who arrived with considerable fanfare, this feels like a sensible next step. Benfica have a strong track record of developing young South American talent, and regular football in Portugal would offer Echeverri the platform he needs after a frustrating first year in Manchester.

City's decision to include an option to buy is notable. It suggests they are not entirely committed to the idea of Echeverri returning to the Etihad, or at least that they are willing to accept a decent fee if Benfica come calling further down the line.

Either way, the coming weeks should bring clarity on where Echeverri will be playing his football this season.

Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Allan Elias from Palmeiras, with the 22-year-old arriving at the Etihad Stadium for an initial €37.5 million. A further €2.5 million in add-ons has been agreed with the Brazilian club, taking the potential total to €40 million.

The winger has put pen to paper on a five-year contract, committing his future to the Blues until the summer of 2031. He becomes the latest piece of Enzo Maresca's significant squad overhaul, a summer that has already seen a remarkable turnover of personnel.

Replacing Savinho

Allan's arrival is directly linked to the departure of Savinho, who joined Tottenham Hotspur for £85 million on a permanent basis. Omar Marmoush has also left the Blues for Spurs, though his move is a season-long loan.

The Brazilian is expected to make his City debut this weekend against Coventry City in the Premier League fixture at the Etihad. It would follow the path set by Ayyoub Bouaddi, the €100 million midfield signing who was handed his first start in last week's 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Impressing the new boss

Speaking upon his arrival, Allan made clear his excitement at the move, describing it as the proudest moment of his life. He admitted the decision to join City was an easy one, despite his affection for his former club.

"I love Palmeiras and always will," he said, "but the decision to come to City was an easy one."

The winger's ambition is clear. "I want to be the best footballer I can be," he added. "The conversations I've had with the people at City so far has convinced me there isn't a better place for me to fulfil my ambitions."

He has promised supporters he will give absolutely everything to make the most of the opportunity, pledging to give 100 percent in training and make the best case possible to the manager that he should be playing. His stated intention is to help City continue winning trophies.

Director of football Hugo Viana backed the club's latest recruit, calling him a really exciting player who will be a big addition to the squad. Viana said the club had watched Allan's progress in Brazil and saw a player who thrives in big moments and works hard for the team with a superb attitude.

A summer of change

Allan's signing is the latest in a transformative window for City. The club has bid farewell to Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Nathan Ake, John Stones, James Trafford, Savinho, Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders this summer.

There is more business potentially in the offing. City are in negotiations with Liverpool over a fee for Netherlands international Cody Gakpo, who has agreed to move to the Etihad over a chance to join Tottenham. Maresca is also driving interest in Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, though the Blues are reluctant to match the £120 million price-tag quoted by Stamford Bridge executives.

Jack Grealish missed the win over Palace and is expected to leave the club before Tuesday's transfer deadline, while Jeremy Doku remains sidelined as he recovers from a calf injury sustained in August's Community Shield defeat to Arsenal.

With the window closing soon, City's business is far from finished. Allan, at least, is already through the door and ready to get started.

There was a moment, not long ago, when Allan thought his dream was over. Ahead of his final game with Palmeiras' under-20 side, the young winger cried with his parents, convinced his time at the club was coming to an end.

Instead, Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira reassured him there was a future at the club. That future has now led to Manchester City, who today officially confirmed the signing of the 22-year-old Brazilian on a contract running until 2031.

It is a move that completes a journey which has been anything but straightforward. Allan's path to the Premier League was not a smooth ascent through the ranks, but a winding route that tested his resolve before it rewarded his patience.

What Allan brings to Maresca's squad

Allan arrives to provide depth and competition on the right wing, a position where City have relied heavily on a small group of players. The Brazilian is described as a hard-working winger, a threat in one-on-one situations with the ball at his feet, and a player whose tactical intelligence and work rate out of possession have been vital for Palmeiras.

Out of possession, his ability to win duels and press opponents will be a resource that Enzo Maresca will not hesitate to tap into. In possession, he is quick and speedy, a combination that should allow him to establish himself as a valuable squad member in time.

His numbers at Palmeiras reflect a player who contributes beyond the scoresheet: in 96 appearances, he scored 9 goals and provided 12 assists.

'The proudest moment of my life'

For Allan, the move is deeply personal. Speaking after the announcement, he described joining City as the proudest moment of his life.

“I love Palmeiras and always will – but the decision to come to City was an easy one,” he said. “I want to be the best footballer I can be and the conversations I've had with the people at City so far has convinced me there isn't a better place for me to fulfil my ambitions.”

He added: “I want to promise the Manchester City fans I will give absolutely everything to make the most of this opportunity. My intention is to help City continue winning trophies.”

That promise will be tested, as it always is at a club where silverware is the baseline. But for a player who once thought his dream was over, the opportunity is not lost on him.

As the transfer window hurtles towards its final hours, the picture at the Etihad is one of significant overhaul. The departures of Tijjani Reijnders, Nico Gonzalez, and Rodri, coupled with Bernardo Silva's earlier exit, have left the midfield looking decidedly different to the one that started last season. Add Omar Marmoush's season-long loan to Tottenham Hotspur into the mix, and it's clear this has been a summer of transition.

Yet the most intriguing thread might be the one still dangling: the Cody Gakpo deal, which could be finalised today.

Gakpo's Timing

The Liverpool forward was in action for his current club in their 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest, setting up Alexander Isak for one of the goals. It's a reminder that he remains very much a Premier League performer, even as speculation swirls around a potential move to City.

If the deal goes through, it would add another attacking option to a squad that has already seen some reshuffling. But it's the midfield that has required the most attention.

Early Answers in the Engine Room

Elliot Anderson has been superb in his first two games for the Blues, looking an excellent piece of business. Ayyoub Bouaddi made his debut against Crystal Palace, while Marc Guehi has been deployed in midfield in the opener. The early signs are encouraging, but the loss of so many senior figures in one window is a lot to absorb.

It's a lot to ask of new arrivals to hit the ground running, but the early evidence suggests the recruitment team have found some players who can.

The Grealish Conundrum

Elsewhere, there's the matter of Jack Grealish. Left out of the squad entirely for the 4-1 drubbing of Crystal Palace, his future is the subject of increasing speculation. There is talk of a return to Everton, where he spent last season on loan, and Sunderland are also said to be interested.

It would be a significant call to let him go, but the writing may already be on the wall.

Loan Moves

Youngster Stephen Mfuni has joined EPL side Coventry City for the season on loan, the most notable of a series of development moves. It's the kind of deal that often goes under the radar but could prove important down the line.

As the deadline approaches, the focus will be on whether Gakpo becomes a City player and what happens with Grealish. One thing is certain: this squad will look very different when the window closes.

Two games. Two wins. The mood around Manchester City has changed, and it has changed quickly.

It was only a week ago that the Blues were licking their wounds after a 3-0 FA Community Shield defeat to Arsenal in Cardiff. The manner of that display had raised eyebrows, and there were plenty of questions circling the squad. A summer of departures will do that.

So far this summer, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Nathan Ake, John Stones, James Trafford, Tijjani Reijnders, Omar Marmoush, Savinho and Nico Gonzalez have all left the club. A host of young players have also been sent out on loan. It has been a significant clear-out, and the new faces are still settling in.

But the response on the pitch has been encouraging. Last Sunday, City had to come from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Etihad, and they did it late. Marco Rose's side dropped deep for much of the second half, yet City's second-half display was strong enough to limit the visitors to just one chance of note.

Then came Friday night at Selhurst Park. A 4-1 win over Crystal Palace, with Pierre Sage's side carved open time and again. The link-up play between Phil Foden, Nico O'Reilly, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo, Elliot Anderson and Erling Haaland was a joy to watch.

The rebuild is still a work in progress, but the early signs are promising. City are on the verge of signing right winger Allan from Palmeiras, and there is potential for Liverpool's Cody Gakpo and Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez to follow. But for now, the countdown to the next Premier League fixture against Coventry City can begin.

Stephen Mfuni will spend the 2026/27 season at Coventry City, his second loan away from Manchester City, as the club continues to prioritise senior minutes for its most promising academy products.

The 18-year-old defender's path to the Championship has been steady rather than spectacular — until you look closer at the details. A Wigan-born England youth international, Mfuni has been on City's books since the age of eight, joining the academy in 2016 and progressing through every age group at the City Football Academy.

By 15 he was already in the U18 squad, scoring in the 4-0 FA Youth Cup final victory over Leeds United at the Etihad. A year later he stepped up to the Elite Development Squad, contributing to the Premier League 2 title win.

Senior Debut and First Loan

January brought his senior debut — a half-time introduction for Nathan Ake in that extraordinary 10-1 FA Cup third round win over Exeter City. It was a brief taste of first-team football, but the left-footed centre-back, equally comfortable at left-back, was soon dispatched to Watford for the remainder of the campaign.

That spell at Vicarage Road yielded eight starts, 672 minutes, and enough interest to spark a summer scramble. Watford were understood to be keen on bringing him back, but Frank Lampard's Coventry moved late in the window to secure his services.

"That spell was sufficient to attract interest from a number of clubs this summer," the club confirmed, with Watford understood to have wanted to re-sign him before Coventry's late move.

Mfuni had been part of Enzo Maresca's squad for the pre-season tour of east Asia, and it was the new manager's determination that another loan represented the appropriate next step in his development.

A Window of Movement

The move comes amid a summer of significant change at the Etihad. The headline arrivals have been Elliot Anderson — a £116 million British record signing from Nottingham Forest — and Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille. Outgoings have been equally notable: Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders have departed for Barcelona and Al Qadsiah respectively, while Savinho has moved to Tottenham.

Geronimo Rulli arrived from Marseille as backup goalkeeper following James Trafford's move to Leeds United. At academy level, City have added Jeremy Monga from Leicester City and Mishel Nduka from Arsenal.

Mfuni's loan is the latest in a series of temporary moves designed to give the club's most promising young players competitive senior minutes. A full Premier League season at Coventry represents a considerable step up from the Championship football he experienced at Vicarage Road. The teenager will hope this one ends rather better than his last — an injury cut that Watford spell short prematurely.

The Dutch forward has reportedly agreed personal terms ahead of a move to the Etihad, having turned down Tottenham in the process. It is a significant statement of intent from the player, who appears convinced that his future lies in Manchester rather than north London.

Yet the reaction on social media has been far from universally positive. For all Gakpo's decent start to the season, there is a nagging sense among supporters that the club may be paying over the odds. Upwards of £85m for a 27-year-old winger is not the kind of fee that typically gets the pulses racing.

Romano's update suggests Liverpool are willing to sanction the sale, but only on their own terms. The Merseysiders will reportedly only sign off on the transfer if they can secure a replacement within the final days of the window. That is a significant caveat, and one that could yet derail the whole deal.

Liverpool's search for a successor has not been straightforward. They have already missed out on PSG's Ibrahim Mbaye, who has joined Aston Villa, and have seen bids rejected for both Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh. Everton's Iliman Ndiaye was under consideration, but the 26-year-old has instead agreed to join Tottenham in a £60m deal.

Another name in the mix is Chelsea's Pedro Neto, though that move looks complicated for several reasons. The Blues have reportedly slapped a £100m asking price on the Portuguese international, which is not a fee that City would have been prepared to pay anyway. Neto started and scored against Brighton on Sunday, so it is not as if he is deemed surplus to requirements either.

There is also the small matter of Enzo Fernandez. Discussions are reportedly underway to bring the Argentine midfielder to the Etihad as well, but it is hard to see Chelsea agreeing to offload both players to the same club before the deadline, especially as they would want to replace both of them.

For now, Gakpo remains the most likely addition. Whether Liverpool can find a replacement in time is another question entirely. If they cannot, City may have to look elsewhere or wait until the summer.

This has been a summer of extremes at the Etihad. The club have shattered their transfer record to land Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m, watched a generation of stalwarts depart, and now head into the final hours of the window with two headline targets still on the board.

The headline act is Cody Gakpo. City made formal contact with Liverpool on Saturday, and both BBC Sport and Sky Sports have confirmed talks are under way. talkSPORT go further, reporting that an opening offer has been submitted. Sky add that the deal is advancing in City's direction, with personal terms also under discussion.

No fee has yet been publicly agreed. This is a live negotiation, not a done deal.

The 27-year-old is understood to favour a move to the Etihad if he leaves Anfield, despite serious interest from Tottenham. Liverpool have moved to strengthen their attack with Bradley Barcola, potentially freeing Gakpo to depart.

The Midfield Conundrum

Enzo Fernández remains the outstanding midfield target. Chelsea are prepared to sell for the right price, provided they can strengthen their own squad before the window closes. The Argentina international is open to reuniting with Enzo Maresca, but Sky reported on Friday that no club-to-club talks have yet taken place. Significant work remains if he is to arrive before Tuesday night.

There are alternatives. Koné has been considered during the search, though Fernández remains the priority. City have also explored signing Gusto, who worked under Maresca at Chelsea, but there has been no indication of an agreement there.

One deal is already done: Allan will arrive from Palmeiras for around £34m, a 22-year-old addition to the attacking rebuild made possible by Sávio's departure.

The Departure Lounge

The outgoings have been extensive. Rodri has joined Barcelona after seven seasons. Stones ended a decade at the club by joining Inter on a free. Bernardo moved to Real Madrid following the expiry of his contract. Akanji completed a permanent move to Inter, while Aké joined Fenerbahçe after five seasons. Reijnders has signed for Al-Qadsiah, and Trafford has joined Leeds.

Tottenham have been particularly active in their business with City. Sávio completed a move for an initial £75m, with £10m in potential add-ons. Marmoush followed on Thursday, initially on loan with an obligation to buy next summer, guaranteeing City £50m plus £10m in add-ons. He has already made his Spurs debut, starting against Newcastle yesterday.

Nico González has joined Newcastle permanently after 18 months at City. Issa Kaboré has completed a permanent move to Wrexham after a loan there last season, signing a three-year deal.

Jack Grealish could be next. Everton and Sunderland are both pursuing the 30-year-old, who looks increasingly likely to leave before Tuesday's deadline.

Youth Movement

There has been plenty of work on the development side. Bouaddi has signed from Lille on a five-year contract until 2031. Charles has returned from Sheffield Wednesday on a five-year deal and immediately joined QPR on loan. The highly-rated Detourbet arrived from Troyes and has joined Monaco for the season. Monga, the 17-year-old from Leicester, has signed a long-term deal.

Several youngsters have headed out on loan: Mukasa to West Ham, Phillips to Sheffield United, Alleyne to Burnley, and Mubama to Southampton.

It has been a window of upheaval, with a new-look squad taking shape. Whether Gakpo and Fernández join before the deadline will determine how complete that rebuild looks.

Marc Guehi has made an early case for being more than just a reliable defender in this City side. The summer signing started the season in midfield, then slotted back into his natural centre-back role against his former club — and looked comfortable in both.

City's 4-1 win over Crystal Palace on Friday night made it two victories from two in the Premier League, following the 2-1 opening-day success against Bournemouth. Against Palace, Guehi lined up as the left-sided centre-back alongside Ruben Dias, and the pair kept things tidy at the back.

Enzo Maresca was quick to acknowledge the defender's contribution after the match.

“He was impressive last week against Bournemouth as a midfielder and tonight as a central defender.”

It is not just his performances that have caught the eye. Maresca hinted that Guehi could be among the candidates for the captaincy at City, though he stressed that no decision will be made until the transfer window closes.

“We’ll see we have 2 or 3 days for the transfer window and then to decide for the captains, we will see.”

For a player who has only just arrived, Guehi is already showing the kind of adaptability and calm authority that managers tend to value. Whether he ends up with an armband or not, his start to the season has been quietly impressive.

Enzo Fernandez is reportedly set to miss Chelsea's Premier League meeting with Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, a second successive omission that will only intensify talk of a late move to Manchester City.

RMC Sport understands the Argentina international will be absent for the visit of the Seagulls, with his future still unresolved ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline. If that proves accurate, it is a meaningful development rather than a minor team-sheet quirk.

Fernandez was already left out of the squad for Thursday's 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Luton. Xabi Alonso, the Chelsea manager, had previously indicated he expected the midfielder to be involved, only for the decision to be taken by himself and the club. Alonso was quick to stress that Fernandez had not asked to be left out.

Asked about the midfielder's future before the Brighton game, Alonso was typically non-committal, suggesting Chelsea would have to see what happened in the remaining days of the window. The window, of course, closes on Tuesday, and the clock is ticking.

Sky Sports reported on Friday that Chelsea are prepared to sell Fernandez to City for the right price, provided they are also given the chance to strengthen their own squad. That is a notable softening of position from a club that previously valued the midfielder at around £120m.

City, for their part, failed to make an offer before an earlier deadline set by the London club. That deadline has passed, but the possibility of a deal has not disappeared entirely. There is still no agreement between the two clubs, and no reliable indication yet that City's interest has developed into an accepted offer.

So where does that leave things? A second successive omission would be significant, and if Fernandez is absent against Brighton as RMC Sport expects, the focus will inevitably shift towards whether City are prepared to meet Chelsea's demands before the window slams shut.

With the transfer window slamming shut at 23:00 BST on Tuesday 1 September, Manchester City's shopping list is far from complete. At least one more midfielder and another attacking option are still required, and the club's answer to the latter appears to be Liverpool's Cody Gakpo.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, City have opened talks with Liverpool over the Dutch international, who has made clear his desire to move to the Etihad. Fabrizio Romano adds that a package worth £85 million is being prepared.

It is a remarkable turn of events. Not long ago, a deal for Gakpo looked dead in the water — Liverpool's asking price seemed prohibitive, and City appeared unlikely to meet such demands. Now the situation has flipped entirely, with the Blues pressing ahead at pace.

What Gakpo would bring

Gakpo's appeal is obvious. He is a proven Premier League performer, with 51 goals and 24 assists in 182 appearances for Liverpool, and he was a key figure in their 2024-25 title-winning squad. That kind of experience is exactly what Maresca's squad is crying out for.

Versatility is another string to his bow. Comfortable on either wing or through the middle, he offers Maresca the kind of flexible attacking option that can slot into multiple systems. That flexibility, allied to his pedigree, would raise the ceiling of the squad.

The £85 million price tag says plenty about the current market for wingers — proven options are thin on the ground, and clubs are paying a premium for them.

Competition and consequences

Gakpo's arrival would also sharpen the edge of City's existing wide men. The prospect of genuine competition for starting spots is precisely what this side needs, with players knowing they must perform to keep their place.

His move is not yet done, however. Personal terms are agreed, but the deal hinges on Liverpool securing a replacement before the deadline. Whether that happens in the next few days remains to be seen.

One thing is clear: City have made their move. After Omar Marmoush's departure, the need for attacking reinforcement is pressing, and Gakpo looks like the man to fill that void.

September is rarely a quiet month in football, but City's fixture list for the next four weeks carries a particular weight. Five games across three competitions, beginning with a home fixture against newly promoted Coventry City on Saturday 5th September (15:00 kick-off) and ending with a Premier League meeting with Sunderland at the Etihad on Sunday 20th September.

In between, there is a trip to Portugal, a derby, and the start of a cup defence. Enzo Maresca's first real test as City boss arrives in a concentrated burst.

The early running

Coventry arrive at the Etihad having lost their opening two Premier League games, including a home defeat to Hull City. Frank Lampard's side will be eager to put points on the board, but they face a City outfit looking to build momentum after the international break.

Three days later, on Tuesday 8th September (20:00), City travel to face Porto. The reigning Primeira Liga champions have won all four of their league games this season and, at the time of writing, are yet to concede. It is the kind of fixture that will tell us something about this squad's European credentials.

Then comes the derby. Sunday 13th September (16:30) sees City head across Manchester to face United. The red half of the city will be waiting.

Cup business and a homecoming

Thursday 17th September (19:30) brings the first appearance in this season's Carabao Cup, with Norwich City visiting the Etihad. City begin the defence of the trophy they won last season — a competition that has become something of a habit.

The month closes with Sunderland at home on Sunday 20th September (14:00). The Black Cats were excellent last season in their first campaign back in the top flight since 2017, and they will not be arriving for a holiday.

Where to watch

For UK viewers, live coverage is split between Sky Sports and TNT Sports. In the USA, NBC Sports carries the Premier League games, while ESPN and TNT Sports hold the rights in Mexico and across Central and South America.

Champions League matches are on CBS, DAZN and TelevisaUnivision, with FOX and TNT Sports also showing selected ties. Middle East viewers can tune in via SuperSport and beIN Sports, while Sky Sports, Stan Sport and Saran Media cover Asia-Pacific and other territories.

Five games, three competitions, one very telling month.

Manchester City are ready to test Liverpool's resolve with an £85m package for Cody Gakpo, a figure that comfortably exceeds the £70m price tag the Reds were thought to have slapped on the Dutchman.

The bid follows an agreement between City and the player's camp, with personal terms already sorted. The two clubs are now in contact over the fee, though Liverpool's willingness to sanction a sale hinges on finding a replacement first.

That is where things get complicated.

The Reds have already secured Victor Munoz this summer but are determined to land two more wingers before letting Gakpo walk. They have agreed a staggering £123m deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola and are working on their next attacking addition. Talks have also taken place with Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh, while discussions with PSG for Ibrahim Mbaye have stalled — the youngster is now poised to join Aston Villa instead.

If Liverpool get Barcola over the line alongside either Sarr or Minteh, the door would likely swing open for City to pounce.

City's interest is no secret. They burst into the race on Monday, with Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi having requested Gakpo after already landing Savio and Omar Marmoush. David Ornstein has since revealed the player has picked City over Spurs — a blow for a Tottenham side that had hoped to add another attacking piece.

The 27-year-old had a frustrating season by his own standards, and more than a few Liverpool supporters were left tearing their hair out. But recent form has been far more encouraging. He scored three times for the Netherlands at the World Cup and produced a lovely assist in Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday lunchtime, turning away from his marker before picking out Alexander Isak at the back post with a low cross.

City view Gakpo as a direct replacement for Savio, with Enzo Maresca also needing reinforcements out wide while Jeremy Doku recovers from a calf injury that will keep him sidelined for several weeks.

Whether Liverpool actually let him go remains the question. They have set their price, but City's offer is said to be well above it. The ball, as they say, is in Liverpool's court.

Matheus Nunes has offered a rare, personal glimpse into the emotional final days of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City reign, revealing that the manager's departure left many at the club in tears.

Speaking about the announcement, the midfielder admitted it caught everyone off guard. "It was unexpected," Nunes said. The farewell itself was an emotional affair, with Nunes recalling, "A lot of people were crying." For Nunes, the moment carried extra weight, as he noted, "I've never been in the club without him."

The interview also touched on a more personal moment between player and manager, following a public comment that had raised eyebrows. Nunes revealed that Guardiola spoke to him the day after the remark, offering clarification. "He said that's not what he meant," Nunes explained.

Guardiola's actual feedback was more nuanced. "What he told me was that in small spaces - like Bernardo [Silva], for example - he felt like I was not that clean sometimes," Nunes said. The player was keen to stress that Guardiola would never directly question his intelligence. "He said he would never say something like that," Nunes added.

Instead, Nunes pointed to his own versatility as evidence of his footballing brain. "But I don't think a player who's not smart would be able to play as many different positions as I did, and play well," he argued. The Portuguese international's willingness to adapt was key, particularly when deployed at right-back. "Honestly, if I didn't change my mindset, I would never have played good there and he would never have said stuff like that," he reflected.

Ultimately, Nunes believes Guardiola's comment stemmed from a deeper understanding of his abilities. "He probably said that because he started to see what others couldn't see, which was that I can actually do the role - and not just do the role but do the role very good."

There was a distinctly nostalgic air about the Champions League draw in Monaco, at least from a Manchester City perspective. The Etihad will play host to Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, Sporting CP and AEK Athens, while Enzo Maresca's side will travel to Barcelona, Porto, RB Leipzig and Lens.

For sporting director Hugo Viana, the fixtures read less like a group-stage itinerary and more like a roll call of familiar faces. Kevin De Bruyne, who swapped the Etihad for Napoli in the summer of 2025, made a prompt return to Manchester last September and will do so again. This marks the second consecutive season City have welcomed his new club.

Then there is Rodri. The midfielder departed earlier this month after seven years of service, joining Barcelona. His goal in 2023 delivered City's maiden Champions League crown, so a trip to Catalonia carries obvious emotional weight.

“Of course, it’s always a challenge to play against the European champions, but we are happy to see Kevin and Rodri again,” Viana said.

He was in a warm mood, clearly pleased with the prospect of reunions. “We are really happy that we face Barcelona with Rodri there,” he added. “Barcelona is always tough, especially away.”

Napoli, too, brought a smile. “We played Napoli last year and we had the pleasure to have Kevin on the field, and it will be amazing to see him again. When you have friends on the pitch it’s always good.”

Viana's own past also features. Sporting, his former club, come to Manchester, while he returns to Portugal to face Porto. Lens, he noted, are doing really well, as are AEK Athens, and Leipzig represent a genuinely tough test.

“We are ready to compete,” Viana said. “So we never know against these kind of opponents. It’s always difficult, different games, different coaches, different systems. But what I can guarantee is that we are ready to compete.”

City avoided perennial rivals Real Madrid, yet the draw still offers a stern examination of Maresca's reshaped squad. The full schedule, with dates and kick-off times, lands no later than Saturday 29 August. Before then, though, the dressing room's focus is on sitting top of the Premier League table.

Palmeiras winger Allan has touched down in Manchester as his switch to City edges towards completion. According to Fabrizio Romano, the 22-year-old Brazilian is already in the city to finalise the details of his transfer to the Etihad.

The move is expected to be wrapped up imminently, with City shelling out €40m — roughly £34.2m — for the forward. That fee looks increasingly reasonable in a summer where wide players have commanded hefty premiums.

Allan came through the ranks at Palmeiras, making his senior debut against Portuguesa in the Paulista State Championships back in January 2025. Since then, he has racked up 96 first-team appearances, scoring nine goals and adding 12 assists.

Predominantly left-footed, Allan prefers to operate off the right flank — a profile that will sound familiar to anyone who watched Savinho during his time at City. Savinho's departure to Tottenham in a deal worth upwards of £75m has left a void on the right, and with Omar Marmoush set to follow him to Spurs, Maresca's wide options are thinning out.

Allan's arrival will help, but it may not be the last piece of business this window. Liverpool's Cody Gakpo has emerged as a top target for another winger, with Romano reporting that talks have taken place between City and the Dutchman's representatives in recent days. Gakpo will only be allowed to leave Anfield if Liverpool find a replacement first.

Should that pursuit stall, Everton's Iliman Ndiaye — also linked with Manchester United and Arsenal — is thought to be the main alternative.

There is a certain symmetry to the draw that landed in Monaco on Thursday. Manchester City's first European campaign without Pep Guardiola in charge will be defined by the ghosts of his tenure, with a fixture list that reads like a greatest hits compilation of recent continental heartbreak.

The Blues will face PSG at home, travel to Barcelona, host Napoli and Sporting CP, and take on RB Leipzig, Porto, AEK Athens and Lens across the League Phase. It is a programme that offers little in the way of gentle introduction.

The heavyweight bouts

PSG arrive at the Etihad as two-time defending champions, having become only the second club in history to win the trophy in back-to-back years. Their rise was built, in part, on a memorable 4-2 victory over Guardiola's City in Paris, a game in which they recovered from two goals down in the second half.

Barcelona, meanwhile, will host City at Camp Nou, a ground that holds painful memories for the away side. It was there, in Guardiola's first Champions League campaign in 2016, that the Blaugrana thumped City 4-0. They may no longer be the force of old, but a squad that recently secured a 29th LaLiga title is hardly in decline.

That reunion carries added spice given the presence of Rodri, who left City for the Spanish champions in a high-profile move following his World Cup success with Spain.

Familiar foes and fresh challenges

Napoli will be no strangers to the Etihad. City opened their 2025-26 campaign with a 2-0 win over the Partenopei, a game that saw Kevin De Bruyne return to his former club just weeks after joining them. Since then, Napoli have endured the embarrassment of a first-round exit under Antonio Conte and now hope for better under Massimiliano Allegri. They have also invested, turning loans of Rasmus Hojlund and Vanja Milinković-Savić into permanent deals worth a combined €65 million.

RB Leipzig bring back Christopher Nkunku on loan, and City's record against them is comfortably in their favour: four wins and one defeat from six meetings during Guardiola's reign.

Sporting CP are the potential banana skin. They finished inside the top eight of last season's League Phase, reached the quarter-finals for just the second time in their history, beat holders PSG 2-1, and produced a remarkable comeback from 3-0 down against Bodo/Glimt to win the return leg 5-0.

Porto, the reigning Portuguese champions after a 31st title, have kept clean sheets in all three of their league games so far this term.

It is, in short, a draw that offers City no favours and plenty of reminders of what came before. The post-Guardiola era starts here, and it starts with a fixture list that does not believe in easing anyone in gently.

Enzo Maresca has a number in his head, and it isn't 21 or 22. It's 60, maybe 65 — the potential game count for a Manchester City side competing on every front. And that, he hinted this week, is why the club's summer dealings might not be done just yet.

The manager's arithmetic is straightforward. "The right idea is to have two players in each position," he said in Thursday's press conference, ahead of the 4-1 win at Crystal Palace on Friday night. "They need to compete between them."

At the moment, he has 21 or 22 players. That, he conceded, "can be the right number." The catch? Three or four of those are Academy prospects.

"In this moment we have three or four in this number who are Academy players, so thinking we are playing 60, maybe 65 games this season, we probably need more numbers."

The squad has already been reshaped once this window. Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, Bernardo Silva, Savinho, Omar Marmoush, John Stones, Nathan Aké and Nico González have all departed, while Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi have arrived to freshen things up. Ryan McAidoo and Kaden Braithwaite are among the young faces filling out the current group.

Pressing Matters

Maresca's preference for a leaner, more competitive group doesn't mean he's ignoring what the numbers tell him on the pitch. Against Bournemouth, City recovered 76% of the ball in pressing situations — a figure he clearly rates. "That is a fantastic result," he said, before adding the obvious caveat: "It's much better if you can recover 76 per cent of the ball rather than 50 per cent. It means you give less chances to the opposition."

That comeback win over Bournemouth — late goals from Marc Guéhi and Joško Gvardiol after Marcus Tavernier's opener — was followed by Friday's 4-1 at Selhurst Park. Two wins, two different challenges, and a manager still tinkering.

"It has been a little bit complicated because some players arrive late and now with transfers," Maresca admitted. "That's why Marc Guéhi in midfield was a solution and tomorrow there might be another solution."

Next up is Coventry City at the Etihad Stadium. Beyond that, all eyes will be on Tuesday's transfer deadline and whether Maresca gets the extra bodies he feels his squad requires. The window slams shut soon — and the manager's maths suggests there's still room for a few more.

Elliot Anderson has opened up on the tactical shift Enzo Maresca is demanding of him, admitting the summer move to City has brought a different set of responsibilities.

The 23-year-old, who arrived from Nottingham Forest, says the manager is asking for a more structured game than the one he played at the City Ground, where freedom was the order of the day.

“I've got to be a little more structured. That's what I'm learning. It is what it is. Trying to learn on the job.”

It is a work in progress, but the early signs are encouraging. Anderson was again impressive on Friday night as City ran out 4-1 winners at Selhurst Park, a result that followed a nervier home debut at the Etihad.

“I'm loving it,” he told the club's official website. “It's a little bit different, so I'm trying to grasp the little differences so I can settle in well.”

Against Palace, he said he felt “more at home”, a telling admission from a player still finding his feet in a new system.

Erling Haaland, for one, has taken notice. The striker described Anderson as “incredible” after the victory, a stamp of approval that will not have hurt the new boy's confidence.

There is a wider point here, too. Anderson talks about an era ending and a new one starting, and the numbers back him up: the average age of the side in the last game was 25.

“Eras come to an end, and a new one is starting,” he said. “The last game the average age was 25, so it's a young squad and it is exciting.”

Structured he may be, but the excitement is clearly not in short supply.

Newcastle's hopes of landing Matias Fernandez-Pardo appear to have hit a wall — and the wall is made of Manchester City money.

The Magpies have spent the final days of the window sounding out the Lille playmaker, who has enjoyed a breakout 12 months for club and country. But with City having just paid £86million to prise Ayyoub Bouaddi away from the French club, Lille are under no financial pressure to entertain offers.

"It's a real difficult deal to do right now because Lille are quite flush with money from that big sale of Ayyoub Bouaddi to Manchester City for £86million," a source told Football Insider.

That sums it up neatly. Lille have already banked a hefty fee this summer — Bouaddi completed his move on Wednesday — and are under no obligation to sell another key asset on the cheap.

Newcastle, who want an attacking midfielder before Tuesday's deadline, have been left in an awkward spot. Fernandez-Pardo is under contract until 2029, and reports suggest Lille would want at least £60m to even entertain a departure.

The 21-year-old scored eight goals and added six assists in 41 appearances last season, and featured three times for Belgium at the World Cup. He is exactly the kind of signing Newcastle hoped to make. But the purse strings at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy are not being pulled tight by anyone right now.

Should Newcastle fail to land him, they are expected to let Joe Willock leave before the window shuts. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but the odds of Fernandez-Pardo wearing black and white this week have lengthened considerably.

City's business, it seems, has had a knock-on effect a hundred miles away.

City made it two wins from two under Enzo Maresca with a 4-1 demolition of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, a result that felt more convincing than even the scoreline suggests. After the opening-day victory over Bournemouth, this was a step up in authority.

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Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki both scored twice, with Cherki producing the individual moments of the night. The Frenchman struggled before the break but came alive in the second half, scoring twice after finding life considerably more difficult earlier on.

Maresca described Cherki's display as a "complete" performance, pointing not only to the goals but also to the defensive responsibility he showed against Adam Wharton.

"First of all, he loves football," said the Italian, adding that this makes Cherki easier to work with. After two assists from the bench against Bournemouth and two goals here, the new signing has made an immediate impact on the season.

Haaland, meanwhile, continued his remarkable record against Palace. His double took him to ten goals in just six Premier League appearances against them, and Maresca suggested he could easily have had more.

"We need just to create chances for him," said the manager, and Haaland duly took them.

There was also a return to central defence for Marc Guéhi, who impressed in midfield against Bournemouth but lined up against his former club at the back here. Maresca was impressed again.

"It's what we need," he said, praising Guéhi's willingness to adapt and help the team in different positions.

The manager admitted City took a few minutes to get their pressing right, going about it "in the wrong way" initially before adjusting. Once they settled, the intensity was there.

Maresca highlighted the "sacrifice and the desire" his players showed, and believes combining that with the quality in the squad could take City a long way.

"If we are able to match the desire and intensity of different opponents," he said, City can "do something important".

Six points, six goals and a 4-1 win in the first away game of the season. A useful enough place to start.

There was a moment on Thursday when the Champions League draw felt less like an occasion and more like an ambush. City learned their 2026-27 league phase fixtures, and the list reads like a punishment for someone who asked for a quiet autumn.

The headline act is a home meeting with PSG, the current holders. Then comes a trip to the Nou Camp to face Barcelona. Porto and RB Leipzig away complete a set of fixtures that would make even the most battle-hardened supporter wince.

The numbers behind the difficulty

Opta's modelling does not soften the blow. By their reckoning, City's average opponent rating stands at 91.7 — the sixth-highest of any club in the competition, and the highest of any English side. Only Atletico Madrid, among the genuine contenders, face a tougher path, with a rating of 92.0.

That is a cold statistical way of saying what most fans already felt: this is one of the hardest draws anyone could have pulled.

None of this is to suggest doom. The squad remains one of the best in the world, even if the absence of Pep Guardiola is a considerable loss. The expectation, rightly, should still be a semi-final at minimum.

There is, if you squint, a sliver of context that helps. Much of Europe is in a strange state this season — plenty of clubs look weaker than they have in years, with many in the middle of transition. That does not make PSG or Barcelona any less dangerous, but it does mean the landscape is more open than the fixture list suggests.

City have won this trophy once. The path to a second is now laid out, and it is not a kind one.

Last night's 4-1 dismantling of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park was more than just a statement of intent. It was a glimpse of the squad depth Enzo Maresca can call upon as City made it two wins from two in the Premier League.

The performance followed a similarly convincing display against Bournemouth on the opening day, and the manager will be pleased with how the season has started. But the real work, it seems, is still to be done away from the pitch.

The Bench Tells a Story

Look at the substitutes' bench from last night and you see the shape of things to come. Gerónimo Rulli, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic provided the experience among the replacements, while Vitor Reis was also in the squad and is expected to see more minutes as the campaign progresses.

Then there's Ayyoub Bouaddi. The midfielder has only just arrived at the club and was named among the substitutes, a sign of how quickly he's been integrated. Alongside him were Kaden Braithwaite, Ryan McAidoo and Claudio Echeverri, a mix of youth and promise that suggests the future is already being shaped.

Allan Close, Fernandez Next?

According to Fabrizio Romano, Palmeiras winger Allan is in Manchester to finalise his move to City. The 22-year-old is described as hard-working and technically proficient, and his arrival would add another dimension to the attack.

With Omar Marmoush out on loan at Tottenham, there's a gap in the squad that Allan could fill. But the Brazilian might not be the only new face.

Romano has also reported that City have agreed personal terms with Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. A bid, however, has yet to be submitted to the London club. The combative midfielder would be a significant addition, but there's still work to be done before that one crosses the line.

The transfer window remains open, and the next few days could shape Maresca's options for the rest of the season. If City can nail these final moves, they'll give their manager everything he needs to prosper.

There are moments in a football season when a player stops being a promising talent and starts being the reason you cannot leave him out. Rayan Cherki may have just had his.

The 23-year-old scored twice in the space of five minutes to turn a tight contest against Crystal Palace into a comfortable-looking 3-1 lead, and in doing so handed Enzo Maresca the kind of problem every manager secretly wants.

Erling Haaland had put City ahead in the 17th minute, converting to give the hosts the lead, and that was how it stayed at the break. An entertaining first 45 saw both sides threaten in an intense attacking contest, but the scoreline remained 1-0.

Then came the Cherki show.

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His first, in the 54th minute, was all close control and quick feet, a cheeky finish inside the box to double the advantage. Palace, to their credit, responded almost immediately. Two minutes later Yeremy Pino's stunning free-kick bounced off Donnarumma's back and into the net, officially recorded as an own goal but carrying all the hallmarks of a striker's finish.

Order was restored three minutes after that. Cherki picked the ball up outside the area, found a yard of space, and unleashed a powerful right-footed strike from distance that flew straight into the net. Two goals in five minutes, and City's two-goal cushion was back.

The performance will only add to the noise around the Frenchman. He had already provided two assists from the bench against Bournemouth, helping City complete a dramatic late comeback. Now he is scoring goals like this.

Maresca, presumably, will not mind the headache.

There was a moment, not so long ago, when Erling Haaland's silence felt like a story in itself. A subdued display against Bournemouth on opening day, where City needed late goals from Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol to salvage a comeback, had some reaching for the familiar refrain: is the Norwegian finally slowing down?

It took him all of one match to provide the answer.

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Against Crystal Palace, Haaland rose highest to meet Semenyo's left-wing cross and power a header past Dean Henderson. The goalkeeper was left helpless, the net rippled, and City had the lead. The new streamlined haircut he debuted before the clash may have been fresh, but the movement and positioning that have defined his time at the Etihad remain as sharp as ever.

At 26, Haaland continues to defy the notion that any defence can keep him quiet for long. His timing to track the trajectory of Semenyo's delivery was immaculate, a reminder that his goalscoring is about far more than brute force.

The numbers, as ever, do the talking. Since joining City, Haaland has scored 30 or more goals in every single season. Across four full campaigns, he has passed the 160-goal mark for the club. With a long-term contract already secured, those figures are only expected to climb.

For a player whose every quiet afternoon is treated as a crisis, this was a typically emphatic response. The haircut may change, but the output does not.

Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, the 18-year-old Morocco international arriving on a five-year deal that runs until 2031. The fee is £86 million, and he officially becomes a City player having starred for his country at the 2026 World Cup earlier this summer.

The headline act in North America was his performance against Brazil. Bouaddi completed 91 per cent of his passes, including every attempted delivery in the final third, won nine of 13 ground duels and intercepted Brazil five times. It was enough to convince City to declare their interest.

Both Enzo Maresca and sporting director Hugo Viana deemed the teenager adequate to fill the gaps left by a significant summer exodus. Rodri has gone to Barcelona for £65 million after seven successful years, with Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders also departing. Bouaddi joins a renovated midfield that already includes Elliot Anderson, who arrived in July for £116 million.

The numbers behind the teenager

Bouaddi is not your average 18-year-old. Born in Senlis, France, to a Moroccan family, he passed his baccalaureate a year early with the highest honours, scoring 18.5 out of 20, and is working towards a mathematics degree via distance learning at the University of Marseille. In June 2023, aged 15, he won the fourth national eloquence competition for French football academies, delivering a speech on sports philosophy to France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron.

On the pitch, he made his Lille debut in a Europa Conference League group stage match against KI Klaksvik in 2023, becoming the youngest player ever to feature in any European competition at 16 years and three days old. That appearance broke a 45-year-old record set by Joel Henry in 1978 to make him Lille's youngest-ever senior player. Later that month, he became the youngest Ligue 1 player to reach 50 appearances, the first since Eden Hazard.

At 6ft 1in, he is not a slight figure. Maresca's system often shifts from a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 into a 3-2-4-1 when building out from the back, and the manager has previously relied on dual-winning midfielders — Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Leicester City — to create chances in the final third. Bouaddi fits that profile on paper.

Whether he can translate it to the Premier League at his age is another matter. The academic record suggests he absorbs information quickly, but the step up from Ligue 1 remains a genuine unknown. City have paid handsomely for potential; now they need it to mature quickly.

Marc Guéhi returns to Selhurst Park tonight with a point to prove and a new trick up his sleeve. The centre-back was signed in January to shore up City's defence, but a surprise deployment in midfield against Bournemouth last weekend has given Enzo Maresca an intriguing decision to make.

Guéhi was named man of the match in that game, heading City's late equaliser before Josko Gvardiol completed the comeback. It was the kind of performance that makes a manager pause and think twice.

“I felt good and comfortable,” Guéhi told City's official website this week.

Maresca, for his part, played down any suggestion that the experiment was a spur-of-the-moment gamble. He had considered the possibility before and worked on it in training ahead of the Bournemouth game. The City boss was delighted with the outcome, describing Guéhi's display as a “complete performance”.

Now comes the twist. Maresca has confirmed that the 26-year-old remains an option in midfield against Palace, his former club. It is a call that carries added weight given the options available in the middle of the park.

Ayyoub Bouaddi has arrived from Lille and is available on Friday night, while Elliot Anderson is fit after suffering cramp against Bournemouth. That gives Maresca a welcome headache, even if it leaves Guéhi's immediate future uncertain.

Guéhi obviously knows Selhurst Park and tonight will be his first return since leaving the club for City in January. Whether he lines up at the back or in midfield, he will be a man in demand.

Manchester City will discover their Champions League League Phase opponents tonight in Monaco, with the draw scheduled for 18:00 CET. Having secured second place in the Premier League last season, City enter Europe's premier competition for the 17th time, but this campaign carries a distinctly different weight.

This is City's first European venture without Pep Guardiola, who stepped down at the end of the 2025-26 season after a decade in charge. Enzo Maresca, his former assistant, now stands in the dugout, tasked with delivering just the club's second Champions League title.

Under the format introduced two years ago, City will face eight teams in the League Phase. Seeded in Pot 1, they avoid Premier League rivals Liverpool and Arsenal, with UEFA regulations preventing same-association clashes at this stage. That leaves a familiar list of European heavyweights as potential opponents: PSG, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid.

Of those, Inter and Atletico appear the more favourable draws. City famously beat Inter in the 2023 final to claim their first European crown, and ousted Atletico in the 2021-22 quarter-finals. History, however, offers little comfort against the tournament's other giants.

Real Madrid have become something of a grim reaper for City over the past two seasons, ending their campaigns in the knockout playoffs in 2025 and the Round of 16 last term. On both occasions, the 15-time champions won home and away. The prospect of facing Madrid again is one City would absolutely dread.

PSG, the two-time defending champions, are another side to avoid. Their last meeting in the League Phase of 2024-25 ended in a 4-2 defeat for City, a result that still lingers.

The middle pots offer a mix of hope and hazard

From Pot 2, Club Brugge are the side everyone hopes to face, while Real Betis have qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 2005-06. Shakhtar Donetsk should not pose too many problems, and City made light work of Villarreal last season with a 2-0 away win. Yet AS Roma and Borussia Dortmund are the big guns in this pot, and Portuguese champions Porto can ruffle feathers too.

Napoli are the pick of Pot 3, and City could face a repeat of last season's opening fixture, which they won 2-0. RB Leipzig are strong dark-horse candidates, though Galatasaray's encouraging recent record against big sides means they cannot be underestimated. Como, under Cesc Fabregas, are making their Champions League debut after a dominant Serie A campaign, and Stuttgart can offer a challenge as well.

Pot 4, meanwhile, features lesser-quality sides, with Slovan Bratislava and Viking, making their first appearance, the pick of the bunch.

One quirk of the draw: City can only face a maximum of two teams from the same league. So if they draw two Spanish sides from the earlier pots, Villarreal becomes off-limits. Similarly, two Italian teams would rule out Como. It adds a layer of strategy to what is otherwise a lottery.

For Maresca, the draw will set the tone for a European campaign that begins a new era. The names in the pots are familiar; the hope is that the script takes a different turn this time.

Josko Gvardiol has delivered a rallying cry to his Manchester City teammates, insisting everyone must "fight for this badge" as the club navigates a significant transition under new boss Enzo Maresca.

The Croatian defender's comments come after a demanding start to the Premier League season, which began with a hard-fought victory over Bournemouth. But Gvardiol was quick to temper any early optimism, admitting the squad is still short of their peak.

"I think we are still not at our best so we need some time, we need to work on our fitness as well, to get into the rhythm," said Gvardiol.

His caution is understandable. Maresca has been open about the difficulties of getting the group back up to speed following a long summer, with several players lacking full sharpness after their World Cup exertions.

A Midfield Transformed

The challenge is compounded by a summer of significant departures. The exits of Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders have stripped experience from the heart of the side, leaving a hole in midfield that even Ayyoub Bouaddi's €100 million arrival from Lille may not immediately fill.

Further forward, the attacking depth has been thinned by the departures of Savinho, who joined Tottenham for £85 million, and Omar Marmoush, who followed on a season-long loan with an option to buy for £50 million plus £10 million in add-ons. The squad is undoubtedly lighter, and Gvardiol knows it.

"What I think is we need everyone. Everyone needs to be at his best, at their best - especially now some players have gone," he added.

The response, he insists, must be collective. "It's not going to be easy, but our mentality - we're going to push, we're going to fight for it, and everyone needs to be ready. Everyone needs to sometimes step up and take the responsibility and fight for this badge, fight for this club."

New Faces, New Hope

There is fresh blood on the horizon, with City set to announce the signing of Palmeiras winger Allan Elias, and understood to have agreed a €140 million fee for Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez. Those arrivals will bolster a squad that Maresca is still assessing, as evidenced by Rayan Cherki being left on the bench against Bournemouth before conjuring two assists in the closing stages to turn the game on its head.

With the Champions League and Carabao Cup both looming in the coming weeks, the need for a fully fit, fully committed squad has rarely been more pressing. Gvardiol's message is clear: the badge demands it.

Fabrizio Romano has indicated that Chelsea are set to make a final decision on whether to sell Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City, with the transfer window entering its final days. The Argentine midfielder, who has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge all summer, was left out of the squad for Thursday's Carabao Cup win over Luton Town, a 2-0 victory that came without him even on the bench.

That omission, coming just a day after manager Xabi Alonso had declared the player available, has only added to the sense that his time in west London is drawing to a close.

"It's also important to say that Enzo Fernandez is not even on the Chelsea bench today," Romano said in his early Friday morning update. "Xabi Alonso decides not to proceed with Enzo Fernandez."

Fernandez's relationship with the Chelsea support has been strained since last season, when he was disciplined for comments about a potential move to Real Madrid. He was booed by his own fans during a pre-season friendly upon his return from the World Cup, and from that point, an exit has felt increasingly inevitable.

The question now is less about whether he leaves, and more about where he ends up. Reports in Argentina have suggested a deal has already been agreed, while widespread reports indicate City will match Chelsea's £120m asking price before the window shuts.

Romano's update suggests the two clubs are still some distance apart, but that talks are ongoing. City are in daily contact with the player's agents, and direct discussions with Chelsea are expected imminently.

Fernandez Has Already Given His Green Light

According to Romano, the 24-year-old has already made his feelings clear.

"At the beginning of the week, I already told you that Enzo Fernandez gave the green light to Manchester City," Romano said. "Enzo said, 'I'm ready to come. I'm open to joining your project. I'm open to rejoining Enzo Maresca.' The contract will be OK, so Enzo is ready."

That last line will be of particular interest to City supporters, given Maresca's history with the midfielder from their time together at Chelsea. The personal terms appear straightforward. The stumbling block, as ever, is the fee.

Chelsea, for their part, are holding firm. They want the right money, and they want to know that any sale will help them improve their own squad before the window closes.

"Chelsea maintain their position: it has to be the right money and it has to be money that will help Chelsea to improve the squad," Romano said. "They don't want to sell a player with three or four days left in the window and have no idea what to do afterwards."

That is a reasonable stance, though it does rather leave the door open. If City can get the deal done early enough, Chelsea would still have time to reinvest. If not, the whole thing could drag to the wire.

Ndiaye and Gakpo on City's Radar

Fernandez is not the only item on City's agenda. The club are also hoping to bring in a new winger, with Everton's Iliman Ndiaye and Liverpool's Cody Gakpo both under consideration.

Ndiaye, who has turned down moves to Al-Hilal and another Saudi club this summer, wants to stay in the Premier League. City, who enjoy a strong relationship with his agents, are working hard to make that happen.

The intriguing wrinkle is that a swap deal could be on the cards, with Jack Grealish potentially heading in the opposite direction.

"Manchester City are working on the Iliman Ndiaye deal," Romano added. "The swap deal is possible, with Jack Grealish potentially going back to Everton. Everton are ready to include Jack Grealish in a conversation for Iliman Ndiaye."

Reports linking Grealish with Sunderland have been dismissed. Aston Villa, his former club, are also mentioned as a possibility, but the most concrete solution at this stage appears to be the Everton deal.

City have also held a meeting with Gakpo's representatives, and have called again about Pedro Neto in recent days. For now, though, the Ndiaye deal with Grealish involved looks the most likely to progress.