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Ait-Nouri on verge of Man City deal, Cherki to follow?published at 11:09 BST 9 June
11:09 BST 9 June
Simon Stone Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Rayan Ait-Nouri's transfer from Wolves to Manchester City should be confirmed later today.
The big question is whether Lyon and France midfielder Rayan Cherki joins him.
City are keen on Cherki and clearly can do the deal but they will have to move quickly and on Sunday, sources inside the club were calling reports of the transfer being agreed as 'premature'.
In a sense, tomorrow's deadline is a bit misleading. That is just to be involved in the start of the Club World Cup. There is an opportunity to add to squads in mid-tournament from 27 June to 3 July that would make players available for the knockout rounds.
City could also ignore the Club World Cup altogether and sign Cherki at a later date.
That would appear a bit pointless given the massive financial incentives offered by Fifa for European clubs who go deep into the tournament.
I expect City will push hard to get the transfer concluded.
🎧 Rise of American ownership in English footballpublished at 11:07 BST 9 June
11:07 BST 9 June
It is not just at the top of the Premier League where American ownership has a foothold in English football.
Twenty years on from the Glazer takeover of Manchester United, one third of the 72 EFL clubs now have either majority or minority US backers.
In a special episode of BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, Kelly Cates is joined by a group of experts to investigate whether this trend is likely to continue.
Do you want business on deadline day?published at 08:35 BST 9 June
08:35 BST 9 June
On Tuesday, the first of two summer transfer windows will come to a close.
So, do you expect business to be done at Manchester City before the deadline? Do you want players to come in or exit? If so, what or who do you think is needed?
Gossip: Everton join Grealish racepublished at 07:13 BST 9 June
07:13 BST 9 June
Everton are interested in England midfielder Jack Grealish, but any move might have to be a loan deal because of the 29-year-old's wages at Manchester City.. (Daily Mail, external)
'Seems to have lost his spark' or 'more to give at City'? Fan views on Grealishpublished at 15:59 BST 6 June
15:59 BST 6 June
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on what the future holds for Jack Grealish and if you would like to see him remain with Manchester City.
Some supporters believe a transfer would be best for both parties:
Glyn: Good player, never worth £100m. Always too negative, never reached the standards he demonstrated at Villa. He has to move on for the benefit of Manchester City and for his own career.
Charlie: He should leave, he hasn't lived up to his £100m transfer, and honestly, he's shocking sometimes.
Dom: Think it's time for him to go. As many have said, he was great during the Treble season, but over the years, he seems to have lost his spark. Whether that's down to Pep training it out of him to fit into a more regimented system or not, I want to see him flourish again, and I think there are a lot of clubs out there that would love to have a player of his flair and calibre.
Steve: I think Jack is a lovely man, but he's had a long time to prove his worth and hasn't managed to do that yet. Probably time to bring on new talent.
However, other fans want Grealish to stay:
Joe: I genuinely believe there is a place for Jack in the squad, it's up to him to earn it - but he is more than capable and he's shown it at City in the Treble season. But if he wants regular football, it's time to go.
James: He has more to give at City; something has happened for him to be left out and treated the way he has. I don't understand, and I'm sure no one really understands Pep. Feel sorry for him, the way he's been treated after how good he was is unfair.
'It really was the best job in local radio'published at 13:11 BST 6 June
13:11 BST 6 June
Mike Minay BBC Radio Manchester reporter
As the 2024-25 season comes to an end, it is expected to be a summer of change at Manchester City. It is also going to be one at BBC Radio Manchester.
After eight seasons with the team, I have decided now is the time to go for a new challenge and that means leaving my role as the station's Manchester City reporter.
For six of those eight seasons I have been lucky to be the voice of the Blues on local radio. I have witnessed four Premier League titles in a row, three final-day dramas, two Manchester derby FA Cup finals and one Treble.
There are too many moments to provide a single standout. Big nights, big games, it really was the best job in local radio.
It started with a one-off opportunity as Manchester City beat West Ham at London Stadium 5-0 in January 2017. It ended with a full-time job and watching Omar Marmoush scoring the club's goal of the season at home to Bournemouth.
The club, the manager and the players have been brilliant to speak to and work with through those years.
City have given me stories some can only ever dream of.
I want to say thank you to the listeners. I tried to call each game fairly, with passion and pride in my work. Win, lose or draw, I hope I made you laugh, cry (but in a good way) and get involved.
Now feels like the right time to explore new broadcasting opportunities and push myself further.
The 29-year-old's position at Etihad Stadium is unclear heading into the summer transfer window, amid a growing sense he would benefit from a move before next season.
Grealish joined City in 2021 for a then-British record £100m and was a key part of Pep Guardiola's Treble-winning side in 2022-23.
However, he has struggled for regular playing time over the past two seasons and started just seven league games in 2024-25.
The England international has been responding to critics on Instagram, commenting under one post regarding the situation: "What do you want me to do, score a hatty in 20?"
He replied to another with: "Haha, I've been bad lately? Scored three goals in my last three appearances over 45 mins, but okie dokie, love."
Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, one City fan, Joe, said: "It's not just one or two games, he is only starting a game a month. Guardiola brought on Claudio Echeverri for his debut in the FA Cup final over Grealish, so something must have gone on.
"With all due respect to us this season, there haven't really been any standout players in certain positions that Grealish can play. It's not like Foden or De Bruyne have nailed down positions, so I think it shows there is something behind the scenes."
Injured Wharton misses out - but Delap, Bellingham and McAtee in U21 squadpublished at 09:46 BST 6 June
09:46 BST 6 June
Alex Howell BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Lee Carsley has named his squad for the U21 European Championship in Slovakia as the Young Lions look to retain their title.
It has been a challenging squad for Carsley to select and he will be without Liam Delap, who was set to be his main striker before his £30m move to Chelsea. The Blues are now taking him to the Club World Cup.
Carlsey also lost Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton to injury but there is a lot of quality in the midfield area with Tottenham's Archie Gray, Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest and Sunderland's Jobe Bellingham all named.
Bellingham's participation had been questioned as he is the subject of interest from Borussia Dortmund, who - like Chelsea - will also participate in the Club World Cup.
Manchester City's James McAtee was a late addition to the squad following the pullouts of Wharton, Dennis Cirkin and Dane Scarlett all with medical issues.
McAtee could have been part of the Manchester City squad at the Club World Cup too, but he is set to play an important role on Carsley's squad for the tournament.
There is no recognised left-back in the squad but Tino Livramento and Samuel Iling-Junior have both played there for Newcastle and Middlesbrough respectvely this season.
Carlsey did not play with a natural left-back for the majority of the tournament in 2023 and that did not stop them lifting the trophy.
'Outstanding' Reijnders is 'the perfect Man City player'published at 08:37 BST 6 June
08:37 BST 6 June
Image source, Getty Images
Tijjani Reijnders "is a very special talent" and "the perfect Manchester City player", says Italian football expert Mina Rzouki.
The Netherlands international is set to become City's first signing of the summer as a possible replacement for Kevin de Bruyne.
"He has been an outstanding midfielder this season for AC Milan," said Rzouki on BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues podcast. "He has a great talent for spotting spaces.
"He has said he modelled his style around Andres Iniesta as a child but, as he got older, it was Kevin de Bruyne he wanted to resemble on the pitch.
"He has really worked on his football intelligence and how he reads the game, and that is why he knows how to spot spaces and exploit them. His off-the-ball running is really clever.
"I was shocked it was only 55m euros. To me, he is worth a lot more. He is a very special talent and one of the rare, beautiful things to watch from Milan this season.
"He scored in three derbies against Inter and against Real Madrid, so he always shows up in the big matches.
"In terms of his technical ability, he is the perfect Manchester City player.
"My one issue would be that he is not a physical player. He is not going to carry or press the ball, so they would still be dependent on Rodri providing that."
What if... the season came down to how well you pass the ball?published at 08:04 BST 6 June
08:04 BST 6 June
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
As the dust settles on the 2024-25 Premier League season, we have been taking a look at some of the alternative ways the the table could have finished...
Passing in football has become an obsession.
The tiki-taka style of Barcelona has now become the basis of managerial philosophies across the leagues and lands of Europe and beyond.
The problem is, few teams have the ability to execute it at the level required to make it effective.
Pep Guardiola took it to another level when he was in charge of the La Liga giants and it has served his Manchester City side well since he took charge in 2016 having won 18 trophies in the following nine years.
And, if the Premier League season had come down to how well teams pass the ball, unsurprisingly the eight-time champions would have been celebrating a ninth title.
With nearly 90% accuracy, they rarely put a foot - or pass - wrong.
And yet, in reality, it did not translate to success on the pitch this year.
Whether it was teams finally finding the chinks in the passing-machine armour or the side's misplaced passes proving more costly than in previous seasons without key players, City could not take advantage of their dominance with the ball.
And for one of the most acute examples of ability with the ball not translating to on-the-pitch success, we only have to look at Southampton.
The Saints at one point looked set to break Derby County's record for the least amount of points in a Premier League campaign, and yet they were less than 1% behind actual league champions Liverpool when it came to passing accuracy.
While fans could have some appreciation for watching nice football, they might have appreciated some scrappy displays that resulted in hard-fought results and possible safety more.
In contrast, Crystal Palace had the least accurate passing of any team in the league.
And yet, Oliver Glasner's side ultimately finished 12th - just three points off a top-half finish - and won the FA Cup final against the club with the best passing ability of them all.
They are not the only team to have had successful seasons in their own right while being in the bottom six for passing accuracy.
Nottingham Forest were 19th in this table metric, but in reality were fighting for Champions League places.
Bournemouth and Brentford also battled for possible European spots into the final weeks of the season, and even Everton finished the campaign comfortably away from relegation that at one point they looked set to be in a battle to escape.
So what does this tell us? When it comes to winning football matches, passing the ball well is not the be-all and end-all.
'Excellent business' or 'doesn't address the main issue'? Fans on Reijnderspublished at 13:51 BST 4 June
13:51 BST 4 June
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on Manchester City's prospective new midfield signing Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan.
Here are some of your comments:
David: Excellent piece of business. Looks like the title is coming home.
Mark: Brilliant signing, should fit seamlessly into Pep's style of play. Perfect age and cheap price to pay for the quality he'll bring.
Gary: We have an amazing young midfielder in Divine Mukasa who needs to come into the first team. He has 42 goal involvements and I don't want him blocked off by any new signings.
James: Solid player, looks after the ball and can see a pass. Should do well working with Haaland! Good business.
Jonathon: Looks more like a squad player and his showreels are not that inspiring. If it was a movie trailer, you'd wait for it to hit TV. But let's hope.
Ian: His stats in a poor Milan side were impressive. In Pep we trust!
Geraint: Very good signing but City still need to address the main issue, which is the departure of De Bruyne! To this end, City must capture Florian Wirtz at any cost.
The 26-year-old will sign a five-year contract at Etihad Stadium after agreeing personal terms with City.
Capped 22 times for the Netherlands, Reijnders is the type of balanced midfielder City lacked last season.
The Dutchman scored 15 goals in 54 matches for Milan last term. It was the best goalscoring season of Reijnders' career, with the 26-year-old hitting double digits for the first time.
But the former AZ Alkmaar midfielder, who made his senior debut for PEC Zwolle in 2018, is far more than just goals.
Capable of playing deep or high in midfield, Reijnders' appeal to a coach like Pep Guardiola is clear.
The midfielder is capable of taking the ball in tight areas and is adept at beating the press either through his passing or ball-carrying.
With Rodri returning from injury towards the end of last season, Reijnders could either play alongside the Spaniard or in a more advanced role.
But the main benefit he will bring is giving Guardiola greater options in midfield.
Just how many could leave this summer?published at 13:12 BST 3 June
13:12 BST 3 June
Freddie Pye Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
As you may expect, plenty of changes are required at Manchester City before Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff can really believe they can challenge for the biggest of honours across the game once again.
Highlighting the depth of those alterations was the January market, when City brought in four new players to lessen the work required during the now-ongoing summer window, when at least a further four names could be brought into the squad.
The opening days of the market have given Manchester City fans a clear idea as to where the club feels alterations are required, and perhaps the belief of supporters would not differ too much from the plans put into place by sporting directors Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain.
There has long been a need for a new left-sided full-back, while over on the right the pending exit of Kyle Walker would identify that as another role that needs investment over the coming weeks.
An ageing roster in the middle of the park requires additional energy, and Kevin De Bruyne's confirmed exit - with Napoli expected to be his next destination - unveils the creative midfield role as an area to be addressed.
Beyond those four positions, much of the other required alterations will centre around departures from the squad as a new generation of this Manchester City side is on the verge of arriving, and it is largely anyone's guess just how many players could be allowed an exit during the off-season.
Ederson, Stefan Ortega Moreno, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish, James McAtee… the list could go on.
What if... the season was all about the first 45 minutes?published at 09:21 BST 3 June
09:21 BST 3 June
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
As the dust settles on the 2024-25 Premier League season, we have been taking a look at some of the alternative ways the the table could have finished...
Football games are 90 minutes long. They have been for more than 150 years.
So, what if they weren't? What if only the first 45 minutes mattered?
Some teams like to lead from the front, come out the blocks flying and try and get the job done before half-time.
If that had been the case this season and it all came down to that first half showing, then it would not have been Liverpool lifting the trophy, but in fact Arsenal winning their first league title in over 20 years.
With 20 wins, 13 draws and five defeats, the Gunners were the kings of the first half.
Four points behind them were Manchester City - a team that has for so long been able to control games from start to finish, but during their difficult spell with injuries and results, this was something they seemed to lack.
If the league really came down to this metric, Brentford fans would be planning for a Champions League adventure. While the Bees were fast starters this campaign, being able to back that up across the 90 minutes was their Achilles heel (ranking 14th in the second half).
And what about this year's Premier League champions? Arsenal may have had the number when it came to first halves, but Liverpool well and truly led the way in the second...
What if the season was all about the second 45 minutes?
While some prefer to get their nose in front, others prefer a half-time reset or back themselves to get the job done later in the game.
One of those teams was Arne Slot's Reds.
They won 24 of their 38 second-halves, drew nine and lost just five. If it was this 45 minutes alone that counted, they would have had 81 points and - just like in the actual season - been runaway winners.
Another club that enjoyed success after half time was Chelsea.
Ranking seventh in the first-half table, the Blues were often in a position where they needed to turn things around or dig out a result in the second 45 and, despite the young age of the team, managed 17 wins in second halves.
A side deserving an honourable mention here is Crystal Palace.
They may have finished 12th in the 2024-25 league table after a underwhelming start, but when it came to getting a result in the second half, with 16 wins,12 draws and 10 defeats, they were up there alongside some of the best in the league.
Gossip: Man City close to agreeing deal for Reijnderspublished at 08:04 BST 3 June
08:04 BST 3 June
Manchester City are close to agreeing a deal for AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, 26, in time for the Fifa Club World Cup which starts on 14 June in the United States. (Football Italia), external
What Ait-Nouri would bring to City and where he can improvepublished at 19:18 BST 2 June
19:18 BST 2 June
Image source, Getty Images
Manchester City target Rayan Ait-Nouri has been described as the "perfect fit" for Pep Guardiola's side by one of his former coaches at Wolves.
Edu Rubio, who worked with Ait-Nouri during the 2022-23 season, said: "His technical competency, his ability and skill in tight areas - keeping the ball close to his feet - give him the opportunity to fit perfectly into Guardiola's possession-based play.
"He can also dribble with speed to get the team up the pitch, driving with the ball, which is probably what Manchester City need right now - players who can break lines.
"Defensively, he has improved his game since his arrival in the Premier League and his one-v-one defending is of a very good standard. He can cope physically and is a very versatile player who can operate in any position down the flank, or by playing as an inverted full-back.
"He needs to improve his decision-making on the ball. He can take one touch too many at times and slow the ball speed down in a possession game that Pep loves. He also needs to work on his end product in attack.
"At a club like City, he will need to get his assist ratio higher, but it is something he can definitely do."
Image source, Getty Images
