Manchester City

Mike Minay
BBC Radio Manchester reporter

Image source, Palermo FC

Clubs love a kit launch. What fancy pattern will we see? Who's going to model it? Can we get a rapper to bring a lyrical thread to the cotton threads?

Can they really tap into the history of a club? Manchester City this year have gone down the '0161' dialling code route.

But City Football Group sister club Palermo have chosen to launch their away strip in Manchester!

The home kit, or 'chapter one' as it was in the launch video, was debuted in New York and now 'chapter two' - the away kit - is told in a love story across Manchester.

'This is where I belong' tells the story of two English Palmero fans who's relationship is told across the city from St Peter's Square to the Northern Quarter.

Palermo are currently in Manchester training at the City Football Academy and will debut the black away shirt in a friendly against Leicester City on Friday in Chesterfield.

Listen to Total Sport on BBC Radio Manchester, weeknights at 18:00, and subscribe to We're Not Really Here: A Manchester City podcast on BBC Sounds

We asked whether you whether goalkeeper Ederson should stay or leave this summer following interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Here are some of your replies:

Craig: I would like Ederson to stay, but if a player's mind is made up that he wants to go then let him go as this will only cause unrest among the other players if it hasn't already.

Tyler: Ederson should stay with City because the future is still bright.

Rhiannon: We should cash in on Ederson while we still can and bring in Diogo Costa, who had a good Euros, or Gianluigi Donnarumma because he is similar to Ederson. My preferred choice would be Costa.

Ian: Ederson should be kept at all costs as he is key to our playing style. He's still capable of playing at the highest level and should resist the temptation of an early retirement.

Colin: If he wants to leave us then let him go. We don't want anyone who isn't committed to our great club.

Marshall: If a good offer comes in then I think we should take it. Ederson is a good goalkeeper but he’s getting old and we need to start thinking about the future.

There is uncertainty over the future of Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson, following Pep Guardiola's comments after their pre-season friendly defeat to Celtic.

Speaking about his first-choice goalkeeper, the manager said: "I would like him to stay but it depends on other clubs. I don't know the situation. There has been no contact in the last days."

What do you think should happen?

Is it time for a change? Or should the Brazilian be kept at all costs?

Let us know your thoughts here, external

We asked for your opinions following Manchester City's 4-3 pre-season loss to Celtic in North Carolina.

Here are some of your responses:

Jonny G: Great first game back. Movement and skills great against a team a week away from their season starting. Nice to see all those youngsters fitting into the system at ease. Bodes well for their futures. Wish I was going to NYC.

Phil: Celtic! Wow, the fact we lost to Celtic makes me worry about a fifth consecutive title.

David: We played really well in the second half, but I think that if we had begun the game better, we would have had them running around in circles. Onto the next in NYC against Milan. We can hopefully step it up a level.

Marshall: I think we should have won but it’s pre-season so give some of the youngsters a chance.

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Kalvin Phillips seems certain to leave Manchester City - most likely on loan - before the transfer window closes on 30 August.

Phillips endured a terrible spell at West Ham in the second half of last season, ending any hopes of him making Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.

He was replaced at half-time against Celtic in the 4-3 defeat on Tuesday, although Guardiola said that was to protect him after he had missed the end of last season with injury.

"That’s why we didn’t give him more minutes," said Guardiola. "I don't know what's going to happen. He knows the situation, and we'll see."

Manchester City are in talks to sell Brazil right-back Yan Couto to Borussia Dortmund and expect about £25m for the 22-year-old, who has yet to make an appearance for the club. (Mail), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Manchester City's pre-season tour of the US opened with defeat by Celtic in a 4-3 thriller in North Carolina as Pep Guardiola fielded a mixture of young talent and established stars.

Is there anything you gleaned from the game?

Let us know your thoughts on the match here, external

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

It isn't quiet in one specific part of the major football clubs - the acquisitions department.

I know that because I was once the acquisitions department - well me and the manager mostly. While each player returned from holidays like a bronzed Adonis, we were cooped up in a small darkened room, beavering the daylight hours away like vampires.

There is plenty of guesswork in the media and a fair bit of leaking from the players and their people, but the clubs usually try to keep their transfer moves as quiet as possible.

If word gets out that a player is available, they know they might lose him to another club or else the price will increase as a bidding war erupts.

‌These are high stakes games and many are impressed by those who gamble and go early.

Manchester City have always been good enough, and let's be honest wealthy enough, to be able to do this well.

The problem is that some clubs are trying to do the same thing and are ending up paying top dollar for less able players, because they haven't done their due diligence in the market.

This is another area where the use of data, or maybe over-reliance on pure data, comes into play - feed all of the numbers in, let the technology do the crunching, and out comes the answer.

The problem is that everyone else has got the same or similar data.

What is needed, of course, is good human knowledge and the vision to aid the use of the information they have got. This is why these departments should be busy just now, they shouldn't just be doing deals which are admittedly very complex legal and financial documents these days.

Even more time should be spent on ensuring the new £75m player hasn't got a hidden weakness in his game or even the odd skeleton in his closet.

Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra Newsletter

Manchester City are looking at making a move for Crystal Palace winger Eberechi Eze, with the 26-year-old England international having a release clause of £60m plus add-ons. (Mirror), external

Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad want 33-year-old Belgium playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, which has led to Manchester City weighing up a move for Eze. (Guardian), external

Manchester City are interested in Paris St-Germain and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, 25, as they look to replace 30-year-old Brazil international Ederson, who could move to Al-Ittihad (Sky Sports Italy), external

Ederson will cost at least £40m if Al-Ittihad want to sign him from Manchester City, who are willing to let the keeper leave as long as their valuation is met. (ESPN), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City's preparations for the new season are under way after travelling to the United States last week.

Pep Guardiola named a mixture of experience and youth in his 27-man squad for the trip to America.

No players that took part in Copa America or Euro 2024 have travelled with the team, but the club noted "others may join in due course" when announcing the squad.

City will play four fixtures, including one against Premier League opposition:

Manchester City v Celtic - Wednesday, 24 July (00:30 BST)

Manchester City v AC Milan - Saturday, 27 July (23:00 BST)

Barcelona v Manchester City - Wednesday, 31 July (00:00 BST)

Manchester City v Chelsea - Saturday, 3 August (22:30 BST)

Manchester City could move for Paris St-Germain and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, 25, if Ederson leaves for the Saudi Pro League. (Talksport), external

Meanwhile, City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has not agreed terms with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, despite reports he has. (Talksport), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips have been named as part of a Manchester City squad packed with youngsters for their four match tour of the United States.

Grealish was cut from the England squad when Gareth Southgate named his 26-man Euro 2024 squad, while Phillips dropped completely out of contention after a disastrous loan move to West Ham in the second half of the season.

Striker Erling Haaland is also included after Norway failed to reach the Euros.

Ederson has now recovered from the eye injury that kept him out of the FA Cup final and Copa America duty with Brazil.

Back-up goalkeeper Stefan Ortega is also named, along with England defender Rico Lewis.

No players involved in Euro 2024 or Copa America have been picked although it is anticipated Croatia duo Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic will link up at some stage.

City open their tour against Celtic in Chapel Hill on 23 July.

They take on AC Milan at Yankee Stadium on 27 July, before further matches against Barcelona and Chelsea.

After Manchester City confirmed the signing of Brazil winger Savinho on Thursday, we asked you to have your say on the signing and City's transfer business so far.

Here are a selection of your comments:

Jared: A great signing, can play both wings and a replacement for Mahrez who we missed badly last year.

Alan: We will have to wait and see. I would think he will be slowly integrated and won’t start many games until he is used to how we play. Our Under-21 players, plus signings like this guy, will avoid huge payouts to replace those that leave.

Colin: If Pep has a weakness it is player recruitment - £100m for Grealish, £45m for Phillips are just two examples and there are many more who seldom played for City at first team level. Danni Olmo would be a very good signing, he has a solid over all game, his stats similar to Gundogan.

Abdullah: Savinho is a class player, like Doku, he is very positive and loves taking his man on. We are used to seeing Man city sign players who are confident on the ball and pass well but last season, we signed players who specialise in carrying the ball. Now, we are looking to mix that together with skilful players that excel most aspects of the game.

Aditya: Very pleased, a natural right-winger and only 20-years-old, really excited to see him play. All we need now is a young central defensive midfielder to be back up to Rodri as Kalvin Phillips I'm sure will leave.

Mark: The next Neymar. Think we could do with a left-back, a right-back and central attacking midfielder as Walker and De Bruyne aren't getting any younger. I'd like to see Hakimi, Nuno Mendes and Musiala, Wirtz or Olmo.

Marcus Alves
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Savinho is not your typical footballer.

Having grown up in his grandparents’ home in the rural area of Sao Mateus, in the south-east of Brazil, he learned early in his life to ride horses, milk cows and plant vegetables such as lettuce, okra and tomatoes. It remains his favourite holiday destination.

"If you ask him whether he wants to spend it in Cancun, Mexico or with his grandparents, he will definitely choose the latter. That's his passion," his mother Dona Nilma said.

As much as Savinho enjoyed the daily routine on the farm, however, he was meant for football.

It didn't take long for Nilma to find it out either - he was only five when she heard a prophecy from one of his first coaches.

"This kid will be a footballer," he predicted.

Savinho started playing on the beach, and after switching to the pitch, was soon on the radar of big teams.

Ultimately, the left-footer signed for Atletico Mineiro after impressing in a match against their under-17s side. He was 11.

Precocious, he went on to become, at 16, the youngest player to play for Atletico in the Brazilian league and, at 18, the youngest to score for them in a Libertadores Cup game.

His meteoric rise convinced City Football Group to move quickly and it beat competition from Arsenal to secure his services in 2022.

It certainly won't get any easier for Savinho under Pep Guardiola.

He doesn't mind. He's living his dream.

Read the full story of Savinho's rise and journey to Manchester City here

Image source, Getty Images

It seems inevitable a host of Premier League managers will point to fixture congestion in the months to come.

When injuries mount, or when time on the training ground is squeezed, coaches often reference the intense nature of the calendar.

But research conducted by the respected CIES Football Observatory has delivered data which shows clubs are - on average - not playing more competitive games than they have in the last couple of decades.

The CIES looked at 677 clubs across 40 leagues. In looking at a period from 2012 to 2024, its findings show in 2023-24, the average club played 42.4 competitive matches. In 2014-15 that figure was 42.6 and in 2020-21 it hit 43.9.

And if focus is placed on sides competing in the Champions League, data gathered between 2000 and 2024 also shows sides are not setting fixture records in the current game, as some managers may like to loosely imply.

In looking at the five major European Leagues, the CIES claim Champions League competitors played an average of 50.8 matches last season.

In 2020-21 they averaged 57.9 and in 2002-03 they contested 55.2.

Manchester United played in 52 competitive games last season, down from highs of 71 in 2020-21 and 66 in 2008-09.

Across all of the clubs analysed, only 4% played more than 60 games last season. In 2012-13, the figure stood at 5.1%.

While clubs may play added friendlies and - it would be fair to say - individual matches tend to be longer given increased injury time in the current game, the data shows that competitive fixture numbers are flat or have in most cases fallen, even if disgruntled managers say otherwise.

The full study is here, external

Manchester City have completed the signing of Brazilian winger Savinho from French Ligue 2 club Troyes.

The 20-year-old has signed a contract until 2029 and will cost 40m euros (33.6m).

The deal will include a fee of 25m euros (£21m) and 15m euros (£12.6m) on offer in bonus payments.

Savinho, who has seven caps for Brazil, spent last season on loan at Spanish club Girona, scoring nine goals in 37 La Liga outings.

Are you pleased with the deal? And what do you want City to do in the market this summer?

Tell us here, external

Image source, Getty Images

Savinho: “I’m excited about the chance to work under Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest coaches ever, and someone I know will help me improve even more.

“I had an amazing time in Spain and I’m looking forward to a new challenge of playing in the Premier League and alongside some of the best players in the world.

“I can’t wait to meet the fans and my new team-mates and hopefully be a part of bringing more success to City.”

Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain: “Savinho is a very exciting player and I think the City fans are really going to enjoy watching him.

“What he achieved last season at Girona was remarkable and he is already a full Brazil international. He has a big role to play for Manchester City this season and beyond.

“We are totally confident in his ability. He is still young and has the potential to become even better, and everyone knows that Pep is the best at helping players develop even further.

“But he has already shown his huge quality and technical ability and is an exciting addition to our attacking area.”