Manchester City have confirmed the departure of Txiki Begiristain, their long-serving sporting director, signaling a new era for the club. Over 13 years, Begiristain played a pivotal role in securing seven Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the Champions League, contributing to 21 major trophies in total. His tenure included the recruitment of Pep Guardiola and iconic players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and İlkay Gündoğan. The club recognizes him as one of football’s ‘greatest directors of football.’ His exit was announced in October 2024 alongside the introduction of Hugo Viana as his successor.

Viana, a former Newcastle United midfielder, began working with Begiristain in April and now assumes full responsibility as the new season starts. Together, they facilitated six new signings across June and July with expenditures exceeding £150 million. The final arrival was goalkeeper James Trafford for £27 million. Whether this marks the end of transfer activity remains to be seen ahead of the September 1 deadline.

At 42, Viana is regarded as one of Europe’s most promising football executives. Having spent seven years as Sporting CP’s sporting director, the club where he started his professional career, he played an instrumental role in recruitment and management, including bringing in Ruben Amorim in 2020. Viana contributed to Sporting’s first Primeira Liga title since 2001–02 and helped guide the club to consecutive championships in 2023–24 and 2024–25.

The Premier League’s investigation into Manchester City’s financial compliance charges, which concluded hearings in early December, might see its resolution delayed until October at the earliest. According to reports, no further updates have been provided since the hearing concluded, and there is speculation the decision could come during an international break later this year, reminiscent of the timeline in City’s previous Associated Party Transaction case ruled on in October 2024.

Premier League CEO Richard Masters addressed the situation during Sky Sports’ Summer Series coverage, emphasizing confidentiality and refraining from providing updates. “You can ask but, unfortunately, as you know, our rules are very clear. It’s a confidential process, so I really can’t give any information out on timing or anything like that. There’s nothing more I can add,” Masters stated.

Manchester City maintains their innocence amid the charges. However, should the club be found guilty, it faces potential sanctions. Expulsion from the Premier League is considered unlikely, as it would require a majority vote from the other clubs in the division. Any final ruling is expected to be followed by appeals, which could extend the timeline for resolution further.

The impact of any decision will not be immediate, meaning the situation remains unresolved for some time, continuing to cast a shadow over the club’s season.

Manchester City have confirmed the return of goalkeeper James Trafford, bringing back the former academy product from Burnley. Trafford was initially sold in 2023, with a £40 million buy-back clause included in his sale. However, City negotiated a deal below that figure, reportedly lower than a £27 million offer from Newcastle. The goalkeeper has committed to a five-year contract, extending his stay at Manchester City through to June 2030.

During his time at Burnley, Trafford was instrumental under the management of former City player Vincent Kompany. He recorded 29 clean sheets in 45 Championship appearances, playing a key role in Burnley’s promotion back to the Premier League. Notably, he set a Championship record by keeping 12 consecutive clean sheets.

In his first interview since re-signing, Trafford expressed deep affection for the club: “Rejoining City is such special and proud moment both for me and my family. I always dreamed that one day I would be able to come back to Manchester City. This is the place I call home. It’s a truly special football club with fantastic people who make it such a unique place to work and play.”

Hugo Viana, Manchester City’s director of football, praised Trafford’s qualities, stating, “James is already one of the most accomplished young goalkeepers in the English game, and we are delighted to welcome him back to Manchester City. He has all the attributes a top-class goalkeeper requires. We feel he is an ideal fit for this squad and will bring great quality to the goalkeeping department. We fully believe he will be really successful and a top goalkeeper for Manchester City and the national team.”

Trafford’s arrival raises questions about the futures of Ederson and Stefan Ortega at the club. Ederson, a key figure through City’s recent successes including their treble-winning season, was linked with a move to Galatasaray, but talks have reportedly stalled. Ortega briefly displaced Ederson last season but did not maintain the starting position.

This summer, Manchester City has also signed goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea, in addition to outfield players Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, and Rayan Aït-Nouri.