Manchester City plot Champions League-style plan for Palermo friendly

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are approaching their sole public pre-season friendly before the 2025/26 season with the strategic mindset typically reserved for European away fixtures.

The team returns to competitive action in 10 days with an away match against Wolves, potentially featuring new signing Rayan Ait-Nouri's Premier League debut against his former club. This follows a disappointing 2024-25 campaign where City finished third domestically, exited the Champions League early, and lost the FA Cup final, prompting a significant squad overhaul.

Under new football director Hugo Viana, Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne, and Scott Carson have departed while six players – Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Sverre Nypan, and James Trafford – have joined. City attempted to sign Valentino Livramento as Walker's replacement but abandoned the pursuit due to Newcastle's uncompromising stance on the transfer fee.

Several outgoing transfers are progressing: Jack Grealish has received a loan approach from Everton, though City insists any loan club must cover his entire £300,000+ weekly wages. James McAtee is expected to leave permanently for regular playing time, having explored options with German clubs, while Kalvin Phillips remains surplus to requirements as the club seeks to streamline the squad.

For Friday's pre-season match against CFG sister club Palermo, Guardiola won't take the full squad, with club officials treating the fixture similarly to a Champions League away tie despite its in-house broadcast arrangement.