Manchester City’s 2024-25 season has been a far cry from their usual dominance. The team’s performances have been largely inconsistent, and they’ve struggled to replicate the success of previous years.

Their performances this season have been very different from the quick, intense and very dominating performances that City fans and general football lovers have come to expect from the club. 

To sum up the season, City exited the Champions League in the quarter-finals after a 6-3 aggregate loss to Spanish giants, Real Madrid. In the Premier League, City is fighting for a top-four spot, 18 points behind leaders Liverpool.

To add insult to injury, they lost the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace, ending their chances of getting silverware this season.

For many fans of the club on the blue side of Manchester, they never thought they would see the day their club went trophyless. It has been a tough watch.

This season’s struggles has left Manchester City trophyless for the first time in seven years. In the last seven years under Pep Guardiola, they’ve won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and two League Cups. 

Their decline, although surprising, has been linked to several factors, including the absence of key players like Rodri, who’ve had a significant impact on the team’s performance.

Also, some of City’s aging stars, such as Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, are nearing the end of their careers, and this season, they haven’t really played up to the standards they once set for themselves. 

The Shadow of 115 Charges

While there’s the issue of getting it right on the pitch, the club is facing a significant challenge off the pitch. Manchester City is charged with 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations, covering a period from 2009 to 2018. 

The charges pertain to accusations of providing inaccurate financial information and circumventing UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules. A hearing on the matter was concluded in December 2024, with a verdict expected to come from UEFA in the spring of 2025. 

The potential sanctions City could face if they are guilty could range from hefty fines to points deductions or even expulsion from the Premier League, casting a huge uncertainty over the club’s future.

While the club expects the verdict on the 115 charges, they would need to face the reality of the forgettable season they are in and prepare to make changes ahead of the new season, especially with the certainty that key players will leave the squad. 

A Changing Squad at Manchester City

De Bruyne’s contract is set to expire, and he’s reportedly considering opportunities abroad.

The Belgian midfield maestro has announced that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season and has attracted interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League, MLS and Serie A as well. The Belgian midfielder has also hinted that he could still play in the Premier League if the offer is right.

Kyle Walker, another veteran defender, has joined AC Milan on loan and there’s a chance that AC Milan can make it a permanent deal or the defender could ply his trade in a club other than City. There’s speculation about Bernardo Silva’s potential departure with interests coming from Barcelona and PSG.

These losses will undoubtedly impact City’s dynamics, but the club is building for the future. New signings like Omar Marmoush, Nico González, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Vitor Reis are set to herald a new look for Manchester City. 

Nico González has slotted in perfectly into City’s midfield, partnering with Kovacic on many occasions to steady the ship. Khusanov has already made his debut for City against Chelsea and while it was a debut to forget, the Uzbekistan international has gotten more comfortable in the league and helped to shore up the City defence.

Marmoush has already made an impact in the Manchester City team, scoring 6 goals in 14 Premier League appearances, combining easily with Savinho and Doku on occasions, while showing that he can be relied upon in the absence of Erling Haaland or play alongside the Norwegian striker as a supporting striker. 

These additions and City’s ever reliable academy which has produced talents like Foden, Rico Lewis and the young Nico O’Reilly who has been finding his feet in this  City team shows that there is a way for the club to carve a new era of success for themselves. The way forward won’t be an easy one because they will have to create a new system with fresh minds and players to still compete at the highest level.  

As they work towards a fresh start with a new season, there is still the uncertainty of the outcome of the 115 charges hanging over their heads, meaning that they have to be prepared for any eventuality.