Man City news: Opinion – ‘Fans desperate to get the Club World Cup under way’

There is a strange feeling heading into a summer tournament involving your club, particularly one that holds the weight of the Fifa Club World Cup, and certainly from the perspective of those at Manchester City.

From the fans’ perspective, the total opposite may have been felt had it not have been for the business completed by Hugo Viana in the build-up.

The arrivals of Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Tijjani Reijnders have got fans desperate to get the Club World Cup under way, and finally catch a glimpse of the new wave of potential legends.

After a season of disappointment, there is a feeling of urgency to get going again and see the Pep Guardiola side that we have come to love get back to their scintillating best. And that starts in the US.

Many would have expected a few rising academy stars to have been included in a summer seen by some to be a ‘competitive pre-season’. However, Guardiola’s squad list – solely featuring senior first-team players – is a clear indication as to how the competition is being viewed.

There are some glaring omissions that speak volumes as to whose futures are in doubt, with Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker the most notable. Both are deemed surplus to requirements and deals are likely to be thrashed out for the pair to leave in the coming weeks.

Speaking to many fans, very few would have concerns over letting go of either player, with the best of their City careers likely behind them.

The squad brought to the Club World Cup says all you need to know about how seriously this is being viewed, and given the vast sums of money on offer for winning matches, it is hardly surprising!

City find themselves at the centre of a squad overhaul, and with more business anticipated for the rest of the summer, many will be seeing this as a prime opportunity to bolster funds for the market.

Only time will tell whether taking the tournament as seriously as possible will have a knock-on effect on Manchester City’s ability to kick-start their season as fresh as possible, and also to go the distance in competitions given the early start and lack of a summer break.

On the flip side, Guardiola could see this as an opportunity to get his squad sharpened in perfect time for the start of the Premier League campaign, as opposed to easing into 2025-26 off the back of friendlies and pre-season tours.

Find more from Freddie Pye at City Xtra, external