Manchester City is heading into the summer of 2025 with a measured strategy: stability over shake-ups, with a focus on smart, positional reinforcements. Pep Guardiola has laid down a clear path, opting for quality over quantity as the club looks to evolve without losing its core identity.
Guardiola sets the tone: less is more
Pep Guardiola has been explicit with his board. In a recent press conference, the City manager said he would walk away if the squad grew unmanageable. “If we reduce the squad, I stay,” he stated. His message was simple: he doesn’t want to manage 24 outfield players and be forced to leave five or six out of matchday squads every week.
Guardiola described the previous season’s squad as bloated. At one point, he couldn't even field a full XI due to injuries, but when everyone returned, the selection dilemma became unworkable. Now, heading into the 2025–26 season, he’s demanding a tighter group that can rotate efficiently without sidelining valuable contributors week after week.
This philosophy marks a departure from the free-spending summers of recent years, where marquee signings and squad depth were top priorities. Instead, Guardiola is asking for balance — not just in terms of numbers, but also in terms of squad harmony.
Transfer bets: a measured market, but a few bold moves
As the transfer market heats up across Europe, betting markets are adjusting in real time, especially around key moves like the one involving Ederson. The potential arrival of Diogo Costa has already shifted odds on City's title chances — and that trend is reflected in the broader landscape of sports betting, where users are not only wagering on outcomes but also on transfer windows, lineups, and managerial decisions.
With this evolving engagement, many fans explore related online experiences — not limited to traditional betting. Some are turning to more interactive formats, like the online slots at NetBet, which borrow themes from major tournaments, player legends, and even stadium atmospheres. These gaming environments are becoming a natural extension of the modern football fan's experience, sitting somewhere between entertainment and strategy.
In goal, a major change is on the cards
The most significant shift could come between the posts. Ederson, linked strongly with a move to Galatasaray, appears set to leave after years of anchoring the City backline. In response, the club is targeting Diogo Costa of FC Porto — a 25-year-old Portuguese international who has impressed both domestically and on the European stage.
City are reportedly preparing a €60 million bid, though Costa’s release clause stands at €75 million. With his contract running through 2027, and growing interest from elsewhere, the Manchester side hopes to move quickly to secure him.
A focused transfer window
The current state of City's transfer business reflects this streamlined strategy. While the club has registered 14 arrivals, only four are actual purchases — the rest are returning loanees. The confirmed signings include:
- Tijjani Reijnders (€55m from AC Milan),
- Rayan Aït-Nouri (€36.8m from Wolves),
- Rayan Cherki (€36.5m from Lyon),
- Marcus Bettinelli (€2.4m from Chelsea).
There’s a clear pattern: technically sound players with experience, capable of integrating quickly into Guardiola’s tactical ecosystem. The additions are not about star power but system fit. Reijnders, for instance, brings verticality and composure to midfield, filling a gap rather than creating new ones.
Only one departure stands out — Yan Couto, sold to Borussia Dortmund for €20 million — further underlining that City isn’t clearing the decks, just refining them.
A season built on continuity
This summer feels different for Manchester City. There’s less noise, fewer headlines — but plenty of purpose. Guardiola’s insistence on a leaner, more unified squad reflects both his tactical preferences and his awareness of the human element in elite football.
The big question remains whether the club can land Diogo Costa before others swoop in. If they do, and if the new arrivals settle quickly, City could enter the new season not just as title contenders — but as a team finally built for balance as well as brilliance.