The 2024-25 season was a testing one for Manchester City, with our men’s first team ending the season without a trophy for the first time in eight years, and our women’s team also narrowly missing out on silverware. However, I believe that we may look back on this year as one that was pivotal for the ongoing and long-term strengthening of the Club.
Our focus on continuous improvement did not diminish in any way, and the season saw everyone across the organisation remain committed to the ongoing evolution of Manchester City both on and off the pitch. Much of that work is reflected on the pages of this report.
There is no doubt that last season’s football results were less than we had hoped for. There are clear and understood reasons for that, including an unfortunate run of significant injuries, but seasons like this are an inevitable part of the game. In the world’s most competitive league, no team can expect to win every year, and I am confident that the lessons from the challenges that we have faced over the last 12 months will only make us stronger as a Club; and make our future successes even more rewarding.
It’s a sign of how far we have come since 2008 that a third-place finish in the Premier League, and the securing of Champions League football for the 15th season in a row, is a disappointing outcome. However, nobody holds Manchester City to higher standards than we hold ourselves, so we welcome the heightened expectations that our sustained success has brought us. We have already committed significant investment in the regeneration of our men’s first team squad, and I look forward to watching this new and evolved group develop under Pep Guardiola’s leadership.
This year we bid farewell to the one of the chief architects of Manchester City’s most recent era of success, in the form of Txiki Begiristain. Txiki served as our football director for 13 years – a period that produced 21 trophies. I want to formally acknowledge his immense contribution to the Club, and the way in which he made that contribution. His approach was infectious and lasting. We welcome Hugo Viana as our new Football Director to build on Txiki’s incredible work. The seamless transition is reflective of the character and capabilities of both men, and we are already witnessing the benefits of their smooth and collaborative handover.
We also said goodbye to one of the greatest players to play for Manchester City – Kevin De Bruyne, who blessed us with his phenomenal talents for ten incredible years. It is no coincidence that this decade was the most successful in the history of the Club. In May, I was immensely proud to unveil a mosaic and a road dedicated to Kevin on the grounds of the City Football Academy. I know that his majestic performances will live long in the memory of all who witnessed them. The statue that we have commissioned to recognise his contributions, and his status as the most decorated player in our Club’s history, will rightly allow his legend to resonate for decades to come.
In January of this year the Manchester City family was sad to lose Club legend, former captain and former manager, Tony Book, who passed away at the age of 90. His dedication to the Club as a player, manager, Honorary President and Life President of the Official Supporters Club will never be forgotten. His humility and presence were, and remain, so inherently intertwined with the DNA of Manchester City.
Despite the challenges that we faced during the year, there were many moments that were uplifting. Rodri being awarded the Men’s Ballon d’Or in October 2024 is one that stands out. He became the first Manchester City player to receive the honour, which is something we should all be proud of.
While Manchester City’s financial results will always be impacted by what happens on the pitch, our longstanding efforts to diversify the Club’s revenue sources create a fundamental financial resilience that underpins our ongoing football ambitions. That is why our revenues for 2024-25 were our third highest ever at £694.1 million – only £20.9 million short of our record revenues of 2023-24.
Our strategic focus on entertainment and creative infrastructure is delivering the new Entertainment District, North Stand and hotel, all of which are advanced in their construction. Each will create added compounding opportunities and ensure that we are positioned for long-term stability and success while retaining our ability to serve the needs, and enhance the experience, of the Club’s longstanding and loyal fans. His Highness Sheikh Mansour has made no secret of the fact that this has been his vision from day one – a vision not just to rebuild Manchester City, but to positively redefine the modern professional football club.
It’s an ambition that now influences all of the clubs within City Football Group. We continue to invest across our global footprint and, as is the case in Manchester, our focus is on making year-on-year fundamental advancements both on and off the field. The approach continues to produce silverware, as was the case in Melbourne this year; and measurable on-field progress, as was the case in Bahia, Montevideo and at Club Bolivar. Through targeted investment in our infrastructure and capabilities, we are continuing to expand our capacity to better serve the football communities we operate within, and deliver the consistent long-term success we all want to see.
There is so much for us to look forward to. Erling Haaland, already proven as one of the world’s truly elite marquee players, committed the next decade of his career to the Club. The record books are unlikely to remain intact for long. The pathway from our Academy to our first team remains open for an incredible pipeline of talent, and a dedicated new facility for our Manchester women’s team, at the City Football Academy, will soon provide a state-of-the-art platform for sustainable success.
Most importantly, we have navigated the challenges of the last 12 months with clarity, calmness and determination. In all industries, the ability to weather adversity and emerge stronger from it, is a sign of a mature, stable and robust organisation. In all facets of Manchester City and City Football Group, that is exactly how we have emerged from the 2024-25 season, leaving us all with a shared, well-earned sense of resilience and optimism.
