Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has rubbished rumours linking the English champions with a swap deal for Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar.
French outlet Le Parisien reported that PSG had offered Neymar to City as part of a swap deal earlier in the off-season that would have seen Bernardo Silva go the other way.
According to the report City declined the proposal but Guardiola clarified the story was not accurate.
"I am so sorry for Le Parisien, but it is not true," Guardiola told reporters in Houston ahead of their pre-season game against Club America on Wednesday.
"I am sorry for them because the information they have received is false.
"Neymar is an incredible player and by my information, he is a nice guy. Let him express himself at Paris.
"Manchester City bought 150 players every summer, and it is not true. I am sorry for Neymar, of course."
It has been reported this off-season that PSG have put 30-year-old Neymar on the market, while Guardiola reiterated his belief that Bernardo would stay at City last month amid links with Barcelona.
City have landed several key players this off-season, with new signings Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips, Julian Alvarez and Stefan Ortega Moreno, while Bernardo has established himself a pivotal player in City's midfield.
The English champions won the race to land 21-year-old Norwegian forward Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, with expectations high for his impact at a club which appeared to lack an out-and-out striker last term.
"We cannot put too much pressure on these players," Guardiola said.
"We need to get them houses, apartments in Manchester, and in the sessions what we want them to do will increase.
"The first impressions of Julian, Kalvin, Erling, and Stefan were really good – they seem like good people.
"Having good vibes in the locker room is more important than tactics."
Guardiola also did not close the door on further signings, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko – who is set to join Arsenal – all departing.
"We will see about signing, [Manchester City director of football] Txiki [Begiristain] and his department are scouting, he’ll know what is best for the team," he said.
After years of silence, former Barcelona presidential candidate Lluis Bassat has spoken out against Joan Laporta and the direction of the financially embattled club.
After losing the 2000 election to Joan Gaspart, Bassat lost again in 2003 to then-outsider Laporta, whose tenure oversaw Barcelona's transformation, before his return in 2021 with the club on the brink of bankruptcy.
While the 80-year-old advertising pioneer concedes his window to be Barcelona's president has closed, he believes the club's financial direction to balance the books has prompted him to come out in public.
Speaking in an interview with La Vanguardia, Bassat believes Barcelona must not try match financial powers like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the expense of their identity.
"One of the things that makes Barca special is that it is owned by its members and I would not lose this for the world," he said. "It scares me that mortgaging the club in funds like Goldman Sachs and companies of this type will one day lead to a conversion of their debt into shares and they will end up being the owners.
"It must be avoided. Football is changing. Clubs with sheikhs and Chinese owners and billionaires. We cannot compete with that, but we must preserve ourselves.
"Its potential is immense and I don't see anyone taking advantage of it. You have to show that Barca has a soul and make it known."
While adding that the club should have done what it could to keep Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi, Bassat extended his criticism towards Barcelona's philosophical wavering on the pitch, believing it put the club in such a volatile financial predicament.
Though he hopes Barcelona's partnership with Spotify is "transparent", Bassat went on the offensive when asked whether the club should sign Robert Lewandowski, amid reported links to the Bayern Munich star.
"Yes, 10 years ago. Not today, he will be 34 years old," he said. "In these 20 years there have been brilliant moments coinciding with Pep Guardiola's growth, but also terrible moments. Those signings of one hundred and something million for unproven players, players who are nothing to write home about earning €10million net.
"In what profession do you earn that? On the other hand, Messi, our 'super crack', we already had him at La Masia and it hurt me especially that he left Barca. Barca has one thing that none of these clubs have and that has to be multiplied by ten. We have La Masia. Players as extraordinary as Messi come from there.
"It's not about being like Athletic [Bilbao], but thinking in the long term, I would invest in La Masia, turning it into the dream place for all the youth players in the world."
Erling Haaland believes he can play a key role in delivering the Champions League title that Manchester City are craving.
The Etihad Stadium giants have scooped the Premier League title in four of the past five seasons, but they have yet to be crowned kings of Europe.
That rankles, as City believe they are ideally equipped to challenge the continent's best, and the arrival of a clinical striker of Haaland's ilk should only strengthen their hand.
By bringing in the 21-year-old from Borussia Dortmund, City have made a statement signing, landing a player the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona have also admired.
When it was put to Haaland that he might be "a big piece in the jigsaw" when it comes to City's Champions League aspirations, Haaland gave a strong clue regarding his ambition on that front.
"What I'm going to say, and I've said it before, the Champions League is my favourite competition. So I think you have your answer there," he told a news conference.
"This is a big challenge, it's a new country, a new league, a new coach. But I know how it is to come to a new club. I've done it a couple of times before, so I'm really looking forward to it.
"[I will handle pressure] like I've been doing my whole career, trying to enjoy every single minute, every moment and trying not to think too much because overthinking is not a good thing for every human being. I try to relax when I can relax and enjoy every single moment I can and to work hard."
Haaland has gone from Bryne to Molde, to Salzburg, then on to Dortmund, and now he has switched to City. He believes the career trajectory, guided by his father Alf-Inge and his late agent Mino Raiola, has gone as well as anyone could have hoped.
"We've been doing every step perfectly now," Haaland said. "I have a good and small team around me that is focused a lot.
"I have really good friends from my home town, and I have people who push me when they should push me and stop me when they should stop me. I have a really good mix of people around me that make me better every day, and that's what I want."
Haaland said facing City in the Champions League with Dortmund in April 2021, when Pep Guardiola's side won 2-1 in each leg of the quarter-final, had been an eye-opener when it came to appreciating the team's quality.
"You see something on TV, and when you meet it, it's completely different," Haaland said. "I didn't touch the ball for 25 minutes in the game.
"It's a different level, I have to say, how they approach and play the game and how they create chances, and that's what I wanted to be a part of."
He put his decision to join City down to "the feeling in my stomach", convinced they are the right team for him.
Haaland wants to make an instant impact and pointed to how he hit the ground running with Dortmund in January 2020, helped by a player now at Manchester United.
"In Dortmund, it worked really well with Jadon Sancho," Haaland said. "In my debut, after one minute he assisted me, a really nice ball from him and a nice goal, and it's about getting to know each other to play with each other, so we can perform at the highest level.
"I've watched Manchester City ever since Pep Guardiola took over in 2016, so I think I know exactly how they play, and I think I know a lot about everything."
Erling Haaland is aiming to follow Sergio Aguero into the hearts of Manchester City supporters after drawing thousands to his presentation on Sunday.
The former Borussia Dortmund striker has joined as the spearhead of the latest incarnation of Pep Guardiola's City team.
After winning the Premier League title last season while often playing with a 'false nine' forward, City will put their faith in penalty box predator Haaland in the new campaign.
Haaland, who turns 22 on July 21, has joined a City side who have yet to win the Champions League, which is the big target now.
The new boy will be expected to contribute a flood of goals both domestically and in Europe, and he said: "I'm really looking forward to it. It's going to be really nice. I'm sure we're going to have a good time together.
"The expectations for this season is to come into the new team, to get to know everyone of course now and get the connections and have fun. When I have fun, I score goals, I win games, so it's easy."
There is good reason for the high expectation that has surrounded Haaland's arrival. The Norwegian scored 86 goals in 89 appearances in all competitions during two and a half years at Dortmund, with only Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (123 in 108 games) and Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe (93 in 111 games) from Europe's top five leagues scoring more in that time.
Last season, Haaland scored 29 goals in 30 games on all fronts at a rate of one goal every 3.6 attempts, and he put away 65.8 per cent of his big chances.
"It's an amazing team and we just have to continue and to get a little bit better," Haaland said of his City challenge. "It's not much to say, I'm just looking forward to everything."
Haaland's father, Alf-Inge, played for City and was present on Sunday for the presentation that took place outside the Etihad Stadium.
"It's going to be nice, my father played here for a couple of years," said Haaland. "It's always special when your father did something, and you get to do some the same things that he did, it's a bit special."
Asked about his idols as a boy, Haaland said: "Of course my dad, but in City I have many jerseys at home from Aguero, so of course him, so from City it was him.
"I love strikers because I've always been a striker myself. Aguero's a good example of scoring goals."
Argentinian Aguero is City's record scorer, leaving for Barcelona a year ago after netting 254 goals for the club in a 10-year spell. He has since retired.
City paraded Haaland along with fellow forward Julian Alvarez and new back-up goalkeeper Stefan Ortega on Sunday. They could make their first appearances on the upcoming pre-season trip to the United States.
Kalvin Phillips, acquired from Leeds United, was expected to join them at the presentation but was reportedly absent due to illness.
Asked which team he was most looking forward to facing, Haaland could not resist expressing his impatience for derby day. City are due to play Manchester United on October 1.
"I have to say I don't like to say the words, but Manchester United, yeah," Haaland said. "I think it's going to be a really good time together.
"Let's get this pre-season gone quick and good and I can't wait to get started with the important games, and games all the time."
Perhaps taking a page out of legendary Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson's playbook, it is out with the old at Manchester City and in with the new in what has been a busy transfer window to date.
On the back of winning a fourth Premier League title in five seasons, City have waved goodbye to long-serving and reliable midfielder Fernandinho, while sanctioning the exits of forwards Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling – the latter's move to Chelsea expected to go through in the coming days.
It is undoubtedly a risk from City's perspective, not least with Jesus and Sterling joining fellow big-six clubs Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, but one the reigning English champions feel is worth taking as they freshen up their side.
Plenty of focus will undoubtedly be on new arrivals Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez and Kalvin Phillips (sorry, Stefan Ortega), but Pep Guardiola will also need other squad members to step up in City's quest for more major honours.
That is a category Jack Grealish, now into his second season at the Etihad Stadium following last year's British record £100million transfer, fits into on the back of a rather mixed first 12 months or so in Manchester.
Unusually for such a big-money transfer, and for a player moving between clubs in the same league, Grealish was afforded a settling in period at City and occasionally went under the radar – right up until May's title celebrations, that is!
But with Sterling no longer around, the former Aston Villa star must now deliver if Guardiola's gamble is to pay off. Here, Stats Perform looks at exactly what Grealish offers to City, and the areas he can perhaps still improve.
GREALISH OVERLOOKED
Allowing Sterling to leave would not have been an easy decision for City, even if he did become more of a peripheral figure in his final 18 months or so at the club – coinciding with a 2-0 home loss to Manchester United in March 2021.
The versatile forward had started 70 per cent of City's games in all competitions between his debut and that loss to United, compared to 53 per cent of the Citizens' subsequent 77 matches.
He was named among the substitutes in both legs of the thrilling Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, as well as the final-day showdown with Villa in the Premier League.
But rather tellingly, it was Sterling who Guardiola turned to from the bench in the first leg against Madrid, with Grealish playing a watching brief throughout, as was the case in that game against Villa when City were chasing three goals.
Put simply, Guardiola felt he had options better than Grealish when in need of goals. But with wide forwards Sterling and Jesus gone, that surely cannot be the case this season – unless, of course, the plan is to rely on Haaland up top.
THE STATS DON'T LIE
Grealish played 39 times for City in all competitions in his first season at the Etihad, 31 of those being starts, ranking him level with Riyad Mahrez (31 starts) and behind Sterling (32) and Phil Foden (36) in a similar area of the pitch. Jesus, incidentally, started just 28 games for City in 2021-22.
While that is a pretty telling statistic in its own right, Grealish's – let's face it – hugely underwhelming direct-goals involvement of just 10 in a high-scoring City side is what garnered the most attention when picking apart his first year under Guardiola.
Eight other City players directly contributed to more goals in all competitions last season, with Sterling registering 15 more combined goals and assists than Grealish. Mahrez, now well suited to playing in Guardiola's complex system, led the way with 33.
Grealish himself admitted midway through last season that he needed to play a bigger part in front of goal, but felt the statistics were not truly reflecting his performances in the final third.
"I think [stats] are important because at the end of the day that is what people look at such as how many goal involvements us attackers have. Especially when you come to a club with the price tag that I did," he said.
"If you don't get some [goals and assists] for a few games, everyone starts to talk. I think they are important but there will be times where you're playing well and the goals and assists just aren't coming. That's what I have felt recently.
"In the Watford game the other day I could have scored about four or five and I came off the pitch with nothing. Even the Leeds game, we scored seven goals as well and I only got one."
In that Watford game mentioned by Grealish, the England international finished with an expected goals (xG) value of 0.83 in his 68 minutes on the pitch but could not find the net from any of his five efforts, three of which were on target.
That compares to two goals from three shots for midfield team-mate Bernardo Silva from an xG of 0.28, with Sterling scoring City's other goal in that 3-1 Premier League win at Vicarage Road.
... OR DO THEY
That Watford game was very much a microcosm of Grealish's time at City to date, with the underlying figures backing up his previous point about his efforts perhaps not paying off.
His four assists in 2021-22, for example, came from an expected assists (xA) return of 7.08 – that differential of 3.08 being the highest of any City player. Effectively, had his team-mates put away certain chances, Grealish's season would have had a slightly more positive spin.
Indeed, the 78 chances created by the 26-year-old last season was bettered only by Kevin De Bruyne (129) among City players in all competitions, though just 10 of those were defined as 'big chances' by Opta, which is the same number as central defender Aymeric Laporte.
This is by no means to say Grealish's shortcomings last season were down to those around him. If he is to truly thrive under Guardiola, though, the shackles will surely have to be released if the Grealish that lit up the Premier League with Villa is to be seen again.
The Grealish that plays with freedom and flair – the reason Guardiola pushed hard for the club to pay a nine-figure sum for the transfer, after all – was there to see for England in their recent Nations League games.
He made a huge impact down the left-hand side from the bench with England trailing against Germany, managing six touches in the opposition box despite playing just 18 minutes, which was double that of any England player other than Harry Kane (seven).
Grealish then played a part in the incident that led to England being awarded a penalty in which Kane converted to snatch a 1-1 draw. That is very much the difference-making cameo Guardiola did not see enough of last time out.
The good news for Grealish is that he may be afforded more opportunities to get at opponents now that City have a target man in Haaland to aim for. The slick passing moves will not be done away with, as such, but Haaland is completely different in stature to any player City had up top last season.
And after a whole year of working under Guardiola, including a first pre-season, Grealish will now be far more accustomed to the demands expected of him if he is to become a regular in the starting line-up.
"I am just trying to keep improving all of the time and I know for a fact that the longer I am here the more I will improve," he added in that interview seven months ago.
With the old guard gone, the time has now arrived for Grealish to prove he has what it takes to thrive under Guardiola.
Julian Alvarez has been provided with plenty of information about Manchester City by club legend Sergio Aguero after officially making his move following his final game for River Plate.
Argentine forward Alvarez penned a five-and-a-half-year deal with City in January for a reported £14million fee but remained with River on loan.
Alvarez's switch has now been completed after River suffered a 1-0 aggregate defeat to Velez Sarsfield in the Copa Libertadores last 16.
The 22-year-old caught the attention of several of European heavyweights thanks to a record of 53 goals and 31 assists in 120 River appearances.
He will have to go some to emulate the achievements of countryman Aguero in a City shirt, with the now retired striker becoming the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 257.
"We all know how important Kun was for Manchester City and what he means for the world too, as a club player and as a player for the Argentinian national team as well," Alvarez, who will wear the number 19 shirt, told City's official website.
"I had the opportunity to speak with him and he told me many things about the city, about the team-mates, about Manchester City in general.
"I also spoke with Willy Caballero and Nicolas Otamendi since we are team-mates in the national team.
"I am very excited about what's to come and I'm very happy to be part of this club."
Alvarez is another piece in an exciting window for City, who have already added Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips and Stefan Ortega to their ranks.
For Alvarez, the chance to work with Pep Guardiola and play in the Champions League were among the huge lures of leaving South America for Europe.
"I was able to talk to him [Guardiola] in February, when the signing was confirmed," Alvarez added.
"He welcomed me to the club. I am glad to be part of the City project. I think he is one of the best coaches in the world and he has been at incredibly successful clubs.
"I want to do a good job for him, to continue growing as a footballer and as a person.
"I am very excited and proud having come this far.
"The Premier League is one of the best leagues in the world. As a boy I always dreamed of playing in Europe, playing for the best clubs, in the major leagues and so to be here today is a privilege.
"I have watched a lot of City games. It's very satisfying to watch them play. City are one of the best clubs in the world and they have an incredible playing style."
The departure of the midfielder brings to a close a 12-year association with Leeds, whom he came through the academy system with, and helped steer back to the Premier League in the 2019-2020 campaign.
Phillips addressed the club and its supporters in a lengthy statement on social media shortly after the confirmation of his transfer, thanking them all and reserving additional praise for former boss Marcelo Bielsa.
The Argentine, who guided Leeds back to the top-flight before he was relieved of duties earlier this year, is widely credited with turning the midfielder into one of the sharpest talents in the English game.
"I would like to express how much of a privilege it has been to play for this amazing club," Phillips stated. "Since making my debut at 17, it has been a journey any Leeds lad could wish for.
"When I was young, I went to see my first ever Leeds game at Elland Road and from that moment, I knew that my dream was to put on that white shirt and walk out on that pitch.
"I'd like to thank everyone involved at the club for making Leeds one of the best clubs on earth. Every manager I have played under for showing trust in me and teaching me all I know.
"I cannot mention Leeds without mentioning one special person - Marcelo. [You are] the best manager I have ever come across.
"He was a man that gave the club life, he gave the players, and everyone involved in the club belief that we were good enough to return to the Premier League."
Phillips' arrival at the Etihad Stadium came on the same day that Gabriel Jesus completed a £45million switch to Arsenal.
Leeds also confirmed on Monday that 18-year-old midfielder Darko Gyabi has joined the club from City for an undisclosed fee in a separate deal to the one involving Phillips.
The youngster played 10 times for City's Under-23 side last season and has been capped 12 times by England at youth level.
Gyabi becomes Leeds' fourth signing of the window, following the arrivals of Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca.
When it comes to recruitment and squad construction, there aren't many clubs – if any – that are run more effectively than Manchester City.
Their Premier League title success in the 2021-22 season was just another reminder of how good they are on the pitch, yet the people in charge are not the types to simply sit around admiring their achievements.
Even before winning a fourth Premier League crown in five years – a feat only ever previously managed by Alex Ferguson's Manchester United – it was clear where City were going to strengthen.
A deal for arguably the most sought-after striker in world football, Erling Haaland, was wrapped up two weeks before the season ended, and then with Fernandinho expected to depart, another central midfielder was to be the second priority.
Kalvin Phillips proved to be the chosen one, with City confirming on Monday that the England international has completed his reported £45million move from Leeds United, having undergone a medical on Friday.
It's an impressive statement by City, who have already bolstered their two primary problem areas – if you can call them that – by the first week of July.
And with respect to Phillips' signing, there's a lot to suggest it's a shrewd acquisition.
Moulded by Bielsa
Of course, the most obvious – and arguably crucial – link here is Marcelo Bielsa. It was under the Argentinian coach that Phillips has played the best football of his career and cemented himself as an England regular.
Bielsa is also considered one of Pep Guardiola's greatest inspirations, with an apparent 11-hour meeting between the pair back in 2006 said to have played a major role in the City boss' decision to go into management.
The similarities between the two coaches' styles of play are significant, and this should facilitate a smooth transition for Phillips.
Under Bielsa he'll have become accustomed to not only intense training sessions, but also a playing philosophy that revolves around possession-based football and relentless counter pressing.
In terms of the latter, City are perhaps a little more considered in their efforts compared to Bielsa's Leeds, but either way Phillips has been exposed to the same fundamentals, and that can only be a tick in the pros column.
After all, a second-season bounce has become commonplace for signings under Guardiola. Numerous players have needed a full campaign to truly get to grips with the demands required by the Catalan coach before going on to show significant improvement and growth thereafter – Phillips might be better-equipped than most to hit the ground running.
But that brings up a separate issue; what will Phillips be to City?
Rodri the immovable object
Having come through Leeds' academy, established himself as a key player and then gone on to be a fulcrum in Bielsa's team, Phillips was the first name on the teamsheet – when fit – for several years at Elland Road.
Regardless of his suitability for City, it seems unlikely he'll enjoy a similar status in Guardiola's team. Phillips is at his most effective as lone defensive midfielder, but so too is Rodri, and it's difficult to imagine the Spain international being suddenly taken out of the team given how effective he's proven to be.
Rodri's 2,937 successful passes in the opposition's half since the start of the 2020-21 season is over 400 more than any other Premier League player, and his 577 ball recoveries over the same period is the joint-most alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, though the Dane has played almost 1,000 minutes more.
Of course, who's to say Phillips couldn't play the role even more effectively? But the key thing to consider is that Rodri has an important function in both keeping City on the ball and then winning it back when they don't, and he demonstrably does both well.
Nevertheless, Guardiola's proven he's a coach keen to rotate. He gave at least 900 minutes of Premier League football to 18 players last season, with only four teams bettering that, so Phillips can still expect plenty of game time.
And, to be fair, Phillips might not have even been up to the task of being a regular starter for City given how much time he spent sidelined last season.
A match made in heaven
Clearly, then, Guardiola's rotation policy would suggest Phillips will have opportunities to deputise for Rodri and take up the back-up role vacated by Fernandinho, yet there's no doubt he possesses the skillset to also play alongside the former Atletico Madrid midfielder as well.
First and foremost, he's a more progressive player than Rodri. Over the past two seasons, 28 per cent of Phillips' passes have been forward, the exact same figure as Fernandinho and a fair bit more than Rodri's 20 per cent.
Similarly, in the same period Phillips has played 3.5 passes into the box every 90 minutes, whereas Rodri has averaged two, and his 1.0 dribble attempts each game is also slightly more than his new team-mate (0.9).
But in a way it shouldn't necessarily matter which midfield role Phillips plays in, given he has a range of abilities that should suit him either as a number six or a number eight, especially in a Guardiola team.
On top of that, Phillips doesn't turn 27 until December, so he is very much entering his prime years, and if anyone can squeeze every ounce of potential out of a player, it's Guardiola.
Then when you consider Phillips' history with Bielsa and type of team he played in at Leeds, everything points to this being a match made in heaven.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has confidence that Bernardo Silva will remain at the club, though he vowed not to keep any unhappy players.
Portugal international Silva has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona after a five-year stint at the Etihad Stadium, with Xavi keen on landing the 27-year-old.
Silva was said to have made his feelings on wanting to leave City clear last year, but the former Monaco playmaker stayed and played a key role as Guardiola's team went on to win the Premier League for a fourth time in five seasons.
However, Guardiola has poured cold water on the speculation that Silva will move before the start of the 2022-23 season when speaking following the announcement of City's pre-season friendly against his former club Barca.
"I think Bernardo Silva will stay with us, that’s my feeling as of today," he told a news conference.
"We don’t know what will happen in the transfer window and we have always said that we want players that want to be in our club.
"But we really appreciate Bernardo and count on him for next season."
City have brought in Erling Haaland already this transfer window, while they reportedly want to sign Brighton and Hove Albion left-back Marc Cucurella and Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
However, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus are both reportedly interested in leaving, with Chelsea and Arsenal the respective frontrunners.
The match between City and Barca will take place on August 24 in a charity game to raise funds for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) awareness and is in honour of former Barcelona player and assistant coach Juan Carlos Unzue.
It will fall between City's Premier League fixtures against Newcastle United and Crystal Palace.
Manchester City's Premier League title defence starts with a trip to West Ham, where Erling Haaland will be eyeing a fast start.
Pep Guardiola's side were in danger of throwing away the cherished prize when trailing 2-0 at the London Stadium in May before salvaging a draw and recovering from the same deficit to beat Aston Villa on a dramatic final day to edge out Liverpool.
Haaland's arrival from Borussia Dortmund is a stellar signing for a City side seeking a seventh Premier League crown. His first opportunity to wow the home faithful will come against Bournemouth, with the first Manchester derby taking place at the Etihad Stadium on October 1.
Anfield is the destination two weeks later for a showdown with Jurgen Klopp's charges, who visit the blue half of Manchester in April.
After the break in domestic action for the Qatar World Cup, City head to Leeds United on Boxing Day, host Everton on New Year's Eve and visit Chelsea in their opening game of 2023, while January also includes a trip to Old Trafford.
The reigning champions' final home game is against Chelsea and they wrap up the season by visiting Brentford.
Manchester City's 2022-223 fixtures in full:
07/08/2022 - West Ham (a)
13/08/2022 - Bournemouth (h)
20/08/2022 - Newcastle United (a)
27/08/2022 - Crystal Palace (h)
31/08/2022 - Nottingham Forest (h)
03/09/2022 - Aston Villa (a)
10/09/2022 - Tottenham (h)
17/09/2022 - Wolves (a)
01/10/2022 - Manchester United (h)
08/10/2022 - Southampton (h)
15/10/2022 - Liverpool (a)
18/10/2022 - Arsenal (a)
22/10/2022 - Brighton and Hove Albion (h)
29/10/2022 - Leicester City (a)
05/11/2022 - Fulham (h)
12/11/2022 - Brentford (h)
26/12/2022 - Leeds United (a)
31/12/2022 - Everton (h)
02/01/2023 - Chelsea (a)
14/01/2023 - Manchester United (a)
21/01/2023 - Wolves (h)
04/02/2023 - Tottenham (a)
11/02/2023 - Aston Villa (h)
18/02/2023 - Nottingham Forest (a)
25/02/2023 - Bournemouth (a)
04/03/2023 - Newcastle United (h)
11/03/2023 - Manchester City (a)
18/03/2023 - West Ham (h)
01/04/2023 - Liverpool (h)
08/04/2023 - Southampton (a)
15/04/2023 - Leicester City (h)
22/04/2023 - Brighton and Hove Albion (a)
26/04/2023 - Arsenal (h)
29/04/2023 - Fulham (a)
06/05/2023 - Leeds United (h)
13/05/2023 - Everton (a)
20/05/2023 - Chelsea (h)
28/05/2023 - Brentford (a)
Manchester City will start their Premier League title defence at West Ham, while Frank Lampard will host his former club Chelsea with Everton on the opening weekend.
City pipped Liverpool to their fourth English top-flight crown under Pep Guardiola and there will be significant interest around their August 7 opener at London Stadium, where new signing Erling Haaland could make his debut after arriving from Borussia Dortmund.
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool will aim to mount another title charge in the 2022-23 campaign and they go to newly promoted Fulham for their first game.
Chelsea eased into third place last term and their first league game of the Todd Boehly era sees them travel to face Blues great Lampard at Everton, who narrowly avoided relegation to maintain their top-flight status.
Manchester United finished in a disappointing sixth last campaign, with a 4-0 thrashing at Brighton and Hove Albion a low point, and they host the Seagulls in what will be Erik ten Hag's first game in charge.
Arsenal will visit Crystal Palace on August 5 as the season's opening game, while promoted side Bournemouth are at home to Aston Villa.
Antonio Conte's Tottenham sneaked into the Champions League last season and open their campaign at home to Southampton, with Nottingham Forest playing their first top-flight fixture in 23 years away at Newcastle United, who climbed out the relegation zone under Eddie Howe in the previous term.
Testing opening for Liverpool, Guardiola faces late Blues clash
Liverpool were in the hunt for an unprecedented quadruple for much of the 2021-22 season, but fell short and ended up with just the EFL Cup and FA Cup crowns to their name.
Klopp's side will be tested in the opening weeks of the season, facing four – United, Chelsea, City and Arsenal – of the traditional 'big six' sides in the first 11 games, alongside a Merseyside derby at Everton on September 9.
The first clash between United and Liverpool will come just three matchdays into the season, with the Reds visiting Old Trafford on August 20.
Liverpool then head Chelsea and Arsenal either side of the late September international break, with champions City travelling to Anfield just a week after the Gunners trip.
Supporters in Manchester will eagerly await October 1 for the first meeting between United and City at Etihad Stadium, while the first north London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal comes on the same day.
The Premier League title race went down to the wire last campaign, and City could face a tough task if it does so again as they host Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea in an enticing clash on the penultimate weekend.
Premier League opening weekend fixtures:
Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Bournemouth v Aston Villa
Everton v Chelsea
Fulham v Liverpool
Leeds United v Wolves
Leicester City v Brentford
Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest
Tottenham v Southampton
Manchester United v Brighton and Hove Albion
West Ham v Manchester City
Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain is confident that Erling Haaland can get "even better" working with Pep Guardiola following confirmation of his transfer to the Premier League champions.
The 21-year-old has established himself among the best strikers in the world following exceptional displays at Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund, boasting a remarkable record of 86 goals in 89 appearances for the Bundesliga side.
That provides a daunting task for opposition defenders in the Premier League, and Begiristain has issued a further warning by backing Norway international Haaland to continue to improve and develop under the guidance of Guardiola.
"We have been monitoring Erling for several years now, so we are delighted to bring him here to Manchester City," he told the club’s official website.
"He is a huge talent and has been one of the best strikers in Europe over the last few seasons.
"His goalscoring record is exceptional and his performances at Borussia Dortmund and in the Champions League in particular have proved he can succeed at the highest level.
Pep Guardiola cannot foresee Bayern Munich letting Robert Lewandowski leave nor Barcelona having the financial power to sign the striker.
Lewandowski is contracted to Bayern until the end of next season, but he is attempting to engineer a move to Camp Nou a year earlier amid interest from the Catalan giants.
The Poland captain declared his story was over at Bayern at the end of May, as disputes over contract proposals between his agent and the Bundesliga champions continued.
While Lewandowski appears intent on joining Xavi's side, there remain questions as to the finances behind a deal, with LaLiga boss Javier Tebas stating Barca cannot afford the 33-year-old unless they sell at least one prized asset.
Blaugrana president Joan Laporta hit back at Tebas' comments, but Barca's economic vice president Eduard Romeu admitted the club must sell players before they would be in a position to land Lewandowski.
Manchester City boss and Blaugrana legend Guardiola, speaking at the Legends Golf Trophy event in Mallorca, expressed his doubts over whether Lewandowski will move to Spain.
"It seems that they have it difficult," he said on Monday. "His career speaks for itself. We are talking about Lewandowski, he adapts to any place.
"But I don't know, I don't know if the economic situation can allow him to join, I don't know if Bayern will let him go. I already have other problems!"
Guardiola guided City to their fourth Premier League title in five seasons last month and his side will be bolstered by the imminent arrival of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.
It has been reported Bernardo Silva is a target of Barca should Frenkie de Jong leave for Manchester United.
Guardiola would only comment on Barca's financial situation, though, as he detailed his hopes that the Blaugrana will return as a dominant force in his homeland.
"Looks like they're having it tough," he said when asked of Silva. "I hope everything goes well for them but with the situation they have they cannot do great things.
"There are moments in history, everyone has to accept it when the situation is the way it is and sometimes going with low expectations will help you to rise very quickly.
"The expectations can be low because of the situation not because of the lack of quality of the coaches, the players or the board of directors.
"The perception I have is good, but you have to go calmly. Everyone knows that if the situation isn't good you can't make big signings. You have to think about winning the next game."
Manchester City are looking to add a "couple" more signings after already securing the signatures of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has confirmed.
Having wrapped up their fourth Premier League title in six years with a dramatic final-day win over Aston Villa earlier this month, City are set to benefit from the acquisition of Norwegian star Haaland, who scored 86 goals in 89 appearances during a two-year spell at Borussia Dortmund.
Pep Guardiola's men also announced the signing of young River Plate forward Alvarez back in January, as City look to restructure their forward line one year on from the departure of club legend Sergio Aguero.
Having already made headlines with their transfer business, in particular the signing of Haaland – a player El Mubarak called "the best number nine in the world" on Monday –Guardiola's men are set to be strengthened by more new arrivals.
"I can confirm that there will be more players coming in," El Mubarak told the club's website. "We are looking to strengthen the team in the areas that we need strengthening.
"As you know, every season some players leave, and then we have to continuously refresh the team.
"Again, we will always look at improving and strengthening. I think we've made two very important additions already [Haaland and Alvarez], but I anticipate we'll be doing a couple more.
"We'll try to go as fast as we can, but you know how the market goes. It's not always entirely in our control."
City scored 99 goals as they stormed to a successful defence of their Premier League title despite often not fielding a recognised forward after missing out on the signing of Tottenham's Harry Kane last year.
Midfielder Kevin de Bruyne top-scored for Guardiola's men in their league campaign, finding the net 15 times, with Raheem Sterling (13), Riyad Mahrez (11), and Phil Foden (nine), all outscoring nominal centre-forward Gabriel Jesus (eight).
El Mubarak says Guardiola's extraordinary tactical nous means City can afford to be patient in the transfer market, remaining successful on the pitch while biding their time until the perfect targets become available.
"With Pep and with this team, it's not just about filling a position," he added. "We have reached a level of quality, a standard in which we cannot and will not compromise on quality.
"If we find the right player for that particular position, we will get that player and if not, Pep has shown us he will find solutions within the quality of the group we have, and within the quality of the academy.
"We're in a different position to the one we were in many years ago. We have so much talent available within the squad and the academy that when we need something, it's very specific and it's very deliberate.
"If we're able to bring that particular player, great, and if not, it doesn't mean anybody can fill it. We are in a different paradigm from that perspective."
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