Manchester City
A season of historic departures, new captains, and a dramatic title race ending in runners-up finish.
The 2025–26 season marked Manchester City's 131st year of existence and their 24th consecutive campaign in the top flight. It was a historic transition period, being the first since 2014–15 without Kevin De Bruyne, who left for Napoli, and the first since 2016–17 without Kyle Walker (to Burnley) or Ederson (to Fenerbahçe). Bernardo Silva took over as captain in their absence. This was also the first season since 2020–21 where City did not enter as reigning Premier League champions. The squad saw major changes, including new signings like Rayan Aït-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Jack Grealish departed on loan to Everton.
- Season Number
- 131st
- Consecutive Top Flight Seasons
- 24
- Champions League Consecutive Entries
- 15
- EFL Cup Wins
- 1 (First in five seasons)
- FA Cup Titles Won
- 8th
- Final League Position
- Runners-up to Arsenal
- Manager Departure Date
- 22 May 2025
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The narrative of the 2025–26 campaign was defined by significant personnel shifts. After a trophyless previous season, the club underwent a major overhaul starting in January and continuing through the summer. Key arrivals included Rayan Aït-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers, midfielders Tijjani Reijnders from Milan and Rayan Cherki from Lyon, and goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea for a total estimated cost of £112 million. James Trafford returned from Burnley for £31 million post-Club World Cup. The squad also welcomed Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain on 1 September to succeed Ederson. Notable exits included İlkay Gündoğan to Galatasaray and Manuel Akanji on loan to Inter Milan, alongside Jack Grealish's loan move to Everton.
In Their Own Story
The season began with an emphatic 4–0 away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 16 August 2025, where Erling Haaland scored a brace. However, form dipped quickly with consecutive defeats: a 2–0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur and a 2–1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, the latter featuring goals from James Milner and Brajan Gruda. Despite these early setbacks, City recovered to beat Manchester United 3–0 and Napoli 2–0 in September. The campaign featured dramatic moments like Haaland's injury-time brace against Burnley on 27 September and a stunning 1–2 away loss to Newcastle United where Harvey Barnes scored twice. The title race concluded on 19 May with a 1–1 draw at Bournemouth, leaving City as league runners-up to Arsenal.
Reader's Guide
Fans witnessed several historic milestones this season. On 22 March, City won the EFL Cup 2–0 against Arsenal, marking Pep Guardiola's fifth title in the competition and City's first in five seasons. The FA Cup saw a record-breaking fourth consecutive final appearance on 16 May, where a 1–0 win over Chelsea secured the club's eighth title. In the Champions League, City entered for the 15th consecutive season but were eliminated by Real Madrid on 17 March after a 5–1 aggregate loss in the last 16. The season also saw Haaland become the fastest player to reach 50 Champions League goals (in his 49th appearance) and register 88 league goals in just 100 appearances by August.
Did You Know?
- This was the first season since 2014–15 without Kevin De Bruyne, who moved to Napoli.
- Bernardo Silva was named captain following the departures of Kyle Walker and Ederson.
- Pep Guardiola became the first manager in history to win the EFL Cup five times.
- Erling Haaland scored 88 league goals in just 100 appearances by August 2025.
- City ended their title race on 19 May with a 1–1 draw away to Bournemouth.
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