Man City Squad Revealed: Cherki and Reijnders Set for Key Roles Against Wydad AC
Manchester City is preparing to showcase a transformed squad in the United States this summer, with their inaugural Club World Cup match approaching rapidly.
Many of Pep Guardiola's veteran players will not be joining the Citizens on their American journey, as Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker have been excluded from the roster while Kevin De Bruyne has transferred to Italy.
The organization has been proactive in constructing their upcoming championship team, and the Club World Cup provides a perfect platform for Guardiola to integrate his new signings well ahead of the 2025–26 campaign kickoff.
Manchester City will face Moroccan side Wydad AC in their tournament opener, and here's the potential formation they might deploy in Philadelphia this Wednesday.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Wydad AC (4-2-3-1)
GK: Ederson—While rumors continue to circulate about Ederson's potential departure this summer, the Brazilian goalkeeper maintains his position as City's first choice and appears unlikely to leave in the near future.
RB: Rico Lewis—Although Matheus Nunes became Guardiola's go-to right-back choice following Walker's loan move to Milan, this tournament offers Lewis an excellent opportunity to secure a starting position.
CB: Rúben Dias—The accomplished defensive stalwart should be in excellent form after capturing the UEFA Nations League title with Portugal. While Guardiola has younger options available, Dias' leadership qualities will prove crucial with so many new additions to the squad.
CB: Josko Gvardiol—Following an impressive debut campaign as an attacking left-back, Gvardiol returned to his central defensive role in the latter part of 2024–25 and formed an effective partnership alongside Dias.
LB: Rayan Aït-Nouri—The Algerian defender made a quiet transition from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he'll be vying with promising youngster Nico O'Reilly for playing time throughout this competition.
CM: Rodri—Guardiola mentioned that City would handle Rodri "cautiously" following his recovery from a serious knee injury in May, though the 2024 Ballon d'Or recipient did feature in several matches to conclude the domestic campaign. The Spanish midfielder is reportedly prepared for the Club World Cup's commencement.
CM: Tijjani Reijnders—With Mateo Kovačić unavailable for the tournament, there's a strong possibility that new signing Reijnders will partner with Rodri and fulfill a similar role to İlkay Gündoğan in Guardiola's midfield setup.
RW: Savinho—Could Pep be assembling a collection of the world's most skillful dribblers? His latest City iteration promises to be highly entertaining, with dynamic winger Savinho expected to feature prominently on the right flank.
AM: Rayan Cherki—Cherki has already demonstrated his quality since arriving, and the French midfielder is positioned for a standout tournament performance with his new team.
LW: Omar Marmoush—The January acquisition showed flashes of brilliance during his initial six months at the club, and this tournament presents another opportunity for Marmoush to adapt to Guardiola's philosophy before his debut full season.
ST: Erling Haaland—Following his failure to claim the Premier League Golden Boot, which went to Mohamed Salah, Haaland will be determined to lead the scoring rankings during this summer's American tournament.