Pep Guardiola has pointed to Manchester City’s January 2025 signings as the key reason the club managed to rescue their season and secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League, describing the turnaround as one of the proudest achievements of his time at the Etihad.
City head into the New Year as the Premier League’s strongest-performing side in 2025, a statistic that sits oddly alongside the fact they ended last season without a major trophy.
For Guardiola, however, raw silverware does not tell the full story. Instead, he believes the resilience shown by his squad, boosted by timely mid-season recruitment, deserves greater recognition.
City travel to Sunderland on New Year’s Day knowing they have the best points-per-game ratio in the league this calendar year, narrowly ahead of Arsenal, despite having played fewer matches.
That consistency represents a sharp contrast to their struggles earlier in the campaign, when injuries and a thin squad left Guardiola grappling with uncharacteristic problems.
At this stage last season, City were 14 points adrift of the top of the table. Now they sit five points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, firmly back in the title conversation.
Guardiola insists that shift was only possible because of decisive action taken in the January transfer window, when City invested £172m to reinforce a depleted squad.
January signings change the season
City moved aggressively midway through last season, bringing in Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Nico Gonzalez.
At the time, Guardiola admitted it was not part of the original plan. In hindsight, he views those signings as essential to the club’s survival at the top level of European football.
“At the end of last season, what we have done, overcome the problems that we had, one of the best seasons we have had as a team,” Guardiola said.
His assessment is rooted in context. City were dealing with a long list of injuries, most notably to influential midfielder Rodri, whose absence disrupted their balance and control. The squad was stretched, performances dipped, and qualification for Europe’s elite competition appeared under threat.
“Without those players we wouldn’t be in the Champions League this season,” Guardiola said.
“I think we would have been playing in the Conference [League] without those signings. Basically we didn’t have players for a long, long time, and the moment with the new players and then with three-quarters of the season gone others came back, we were the best team in the Premier League in the last 10 to 15 games in the season. Sometimes you have to take a decision as you don’t expect something.”
After Manchester City’s January 2025 signings and towards the closing months of the campaign, they rediscovered their identity. Results improved, performances stabilised and the sense of crisis gradually faded.
Guardiola believes the combination of fresh legs and returning players transformed City into the league’s most consistent side during the run-in.
“When we had all the seasons as a squad, we were competing like we are doing this season and obviously, come on, with Rodri we are a stronger team. There’s no doubt about that.”
Rodri’s eventual return has only strengthened Guardiola’s belief that City’s current form is sustainable. While the Spaniard is still working his way back to full fitness, Guardiola has warned rivals that his side have another level to reach once the midfielder is back at his best.
Despite finishing third in the Premier League and losing the FA Cup final, Guardiola considers last season’s achievement remarkable given the circumstances.
City’s failure to win a trophy was a rare occurrence under his management, but he argues that adversity revealed the true character of the squad.
Pride, perspective and the road ahead
As City approach the midpoint of the current season, Guardiola remains reflective rather than defensive about the previous campaign.
Injuries, fixture congestion and the demands of competing on multiple fronts stretched the squad to its limits. For Guardiola, navigating those challenges successfully mattered as much as adding to the trophy cabinet.
“We had to overcome the problems that we had,” said Guardiola, whose side finished third in the Premier League and were beaten FA Cup finalists last season.
“It was one of the best seasons we have had as a team, with the guys who were there, in all the seasons.
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“It’s how you overcome the problems. In the perspective now, every time I reflect what we did last season, I’m more proud than ever of what we have done as a club.”
That sense of pride has shaped City’s approach to the current transfer window. Unlike Manchester City’s January 2025 signings, there is no expectation of heavy spending. Guardiola has suggested the squad is in a healthier position, with fewer gaps to fill.
However, City are close to completing a deal for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo. The Ghana international is keen on a move to the Etihad, despite interest from other clubs, and Guardiola has admired his ability to influence games in unconventional ways.
Semenyo showcased that threat in Bournemouth’s recent 2-2 draw at Chelsea, where his long throws directly created two goals.
Guardiola has previously acknowledged that such a weapon is something his current squad lacks, making the winger an appealing addition rather than a necessity.
