Man City welcomes newcomer Ait-Nouri as the team prepares to spend big for the Club World Cup occasion.
Summer Rebuild: Man City's New Signings Costing a Whopping £65m
Manchester City is gearing up for another round of big-money signings, with the Premier League champions looking to strengthen their squad ahead of the Club World Cup.
The first of the City's potential new additions is the Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who is set to join from AC Milan for a staggering £46.3m. Reijnders is seen as an upgrade in the midfield, potentially taking over roles vacated by players like Ilkay Gundogan.
The Cityzens are not stopping there. They're in talks to sign French attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki from Lyon, with a transfer fee of around £34m on the table. Cherki is being eyed as a potential replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, who is moving on from the club.
Another player on City's radar is Algeria international Rayan Ait-Nouri, who recently left Wolves. While the transfer fee for Ait-Nouri is yet to be confirmed, he's part of City's plans to bolster their squad depth.
City's summer spending spree could reach £111.3m with the addition of these players, marking a significant investment in their recovery from a poor 2024-25 season that saw them finish third in the English top flight.
Last season's champions struggled due to the departures of key players like De Bruyne and stalwart Rodri, who missed much of the season.
Club World Cup Adventure
With little time to rest, manager Pep Guardiola has his work cut out as City prepare for the Club World Cup, joining two English teams, Chelsea, in the 32-team tournament.
City are the defending champions, having won the tournament in 2023. Their Group Stage opponents include Moroccan side Wydad AC, United Arab Emirates stalwarts Al Ain, and, in what promises to be the biggest clash of the group phase, Italian giants Juventus.
If City progress through the group stage, they will face one of Real Madrid, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, Mexico's Pachuca, or Austria's Red Bull Salzburg in the round of 16.
To beef up their squad for this challenge, City strengthened their ranks in the winter window, splashing out €75m on center-forward Omar Marmoush, €60m on central midfielder Nico Gonzalez, €40m on center-back Abdukodir Khusanov, €37m on center-back Vitor Reis, and €6m on center-back Juma Bah.
[1] Guardiola's Master Plan: A Look at Man City's Summer Signings Strategy (The Guardian)
[2] The Search for De Bruyne's Replacement: A Closer Look at Rayan Cherki (Sky Sports)
[3] Tijjani Reijnders Transfer: Everything You Need to Know (ESPN)
[4] Rayan Cherki: The Next Big Thing in Football (Football Transfers)
- Manchester City's summer transfer plans involve bolstering their squad with high-profile signings such as Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, French attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, and Algeria international Rayan Ait-Nouri, following a challenging 2024-25 season in the Premier League.
- As Europe's premier football leagues prepare for the new season, the focus remains on the transfer market, with Man City's potential acquisitions of Cherki, Reijnders, and Ait-Nouri shaking up the European-leagues landscape, particularly in the premier-league.
