#manchester-city

#manchester-city

Antoine Semenyo described his start to life at Manchester City as a "fairytale" after registering a goal and an assist to help them beat Fulham and cut Arsenal's lead at the Premier League summit. Semenyo reacted quickest when Matheus Nunes' hanging cross deflected off Sander Berge to prod in City's 24th-minute opener, then threaded in Nico O'Reilly to make it 2-0 six minutes later.

According to my sources, as first reported here for the Daily Briefing, it looks increasingly like John Stones will not be offered a new contract, with his current deal at the Etihad Stadium due to expire at the end of this season. There seems to be an acceptance that it's time for both City and Stones to part ways, and some suitors may already have established early contacts to sound out the player.

After an awful mistake from the 33m signing gifted Chelsea the opening goal in the game in January 2025, he was booked soon after and it was an uphill journey for him from that desperate start. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said he "felt like crying for the lad" after that game, and following City's Champions League defeat at Real Madrid the following month, ex-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson said, external Khusanov had been "like a rabbit in the headlights".

Manchester City are reportedly accelerating their summer transfer plans by targeting Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, with an opening offer already placed on the table. According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, City have proposed a bid worth around 35 million, although Everton are holding firm for a fee closer to 40 million before considering a sale. Dewsbury-Hall's rapid rise since arriving on Merseyside has been impressive.

"That doesn't count, right?"

Manchester City thought they had scored a third goal at Liverpool which would have capped off one of the most dramatic ends to a Premier League game this season. But it was stripped away by a VAR review for a foul committed just before the ball rolled over the line. Fans will hate it, pundits won't like it, and football will turn its nose up too. Yet there really was no way the VAR, John Brooks, could not intervene.

When Arsenal made Olivia Smith the first 1m player player in the history of women's football, they did not think they were signing a striker. The 21-year-old Canadian had earned a reputation as a busy right-sided winger, the kind that hugs the sideline and takes pleasure in turning full-backs inside out. The fee raised eyebrows in some quarters - after all, Chloe Kelly had seemingly made the right flank spot her own during last season's triumphant Champions League campaign. What could Smith offer that she - or Beth Mead - could not? As simple as it seems, the answer may well be versatility.

The hierarchy of the Spanish giant is becoming extremely worried about the situation in the dressing room, and club president Florentino Perez is determined to make changes he feels are essential for stability to return. Parting ways with Xabi Alonso and appointing Alvaro Arbeloa as a temporary head coach was the first step, but Perez feels dominant figures in the dressing room, such as Real once proudly boasted in Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro, are missing.

Real Madrid are interested in signing Phil Foden from Manchester City in the summer of 2026, according to . The Spanish powerhouse reportedly view Foden as 'the final, crowning piece of their New Galacticos puzzle'. Foden is good friends with his England international team-mate Jude Bellingham, who is a star for Madrid. This is the 'primary trump card' that Los Blancos are planning to use to convince Foden to switch to Estadio Bernabeu.

Manchester City are open to selling Nathan Ake in the summer of 2026, according to SportsBoom . The Premier League club are said to want £25-£30 million for Ake. Ake has been at Man City since 2020. The 30-year-old, who can play as a centre-back and as a left-back, cost the Cityzens £41 million when they secured his services from Bournemouth. The Netherlands international has scored 10 goals and provided three assists in 167 matches in all competitions for Man City so far in his career.