Manchester City have confirmed that Joško Gvardiol will undergo surgery after suffering a broken leg in the Premier League draw with Chelsea. There is no set timeframe on his expected return, with further details likely to follow once the operation is complete. It is feared the 23-year-old, who has transitioned from left back to centre back, will be sidelined for some time.

“This is a hard moment,” Gvardiol posted on X in response to the news of his fracture. “But it will never define me,” he added. “I know who I am and where I come from. “To the Cityzens, thank you for your endless support. I love you, and I’ll fight every day to return stronger, as a City warrior.”

Gvardiol has made clear his priority is to be available for the World Cup this summer. Just under five months remain in the 2025–26 season to the end of May, with the World Cup to follow in June. Croatia, for whom he is a key player, are set to face England, Panama and Ghana in the group stage. The nation reached the 2018 final and finished third in 2022.

The injury is a significant blow for Manchester City beyond the loss of Gvardiol. Rúben Dias was also unable to complete the Chelsea game, forced off in the closing stages with a muscle injury and is now expected to miss up to six weeks. With John Stones already ruled out since the start of December with no set return, and Nathan Aké—by Guardiola’s own admission—only able to play limited minutes, Abdukodir Khusanov is currently the only fully fit centre back in the first-team squad.

Manuel Akanji is on loan at Inter with no recall clause, while Vitor Reis and Juma Bah are with Girona and Nice respectively, and are reported to be seeing those loans through. The club and player will now focus on the immediate medical steps and rehabilitation timelines, with both Manchester City and Croatia monitoring progress ahead of the summer tournament.

“My heart beats for Croatia,” he stated in a follow-up post. “Always! I will rise again, better than ever! For my club. For my brothers at club and national level. For my people. For Croatia.”

Julián Araujo has moved on loan from Bournemouth to Scottish powerhouse Celtic for the remainder of the season in a bid to secure consistent playing time ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The Barcelona academy graduate could make his debut in Saturday’s Old Firm Derby against Rangers, becoming just the second Mexican player in history to play for Celtic behind Efraín Juárez.

At his introductory press conference Araujo acknowledged the weight of the move and the expectations that come with the club. “I was very excited, obviously it’s a historic club,” he said. “A club where a lot of success comes. I’m excited to be a part of it, I’m excited to be here, help my team and hopefully bring a little bit of joy to the fans and just excited to work.

“I know the demands at a club like Celtic and I am ready for these. I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead and I want to play my part in bringing good times and good, winning football to our supporters.”

Araujo arrives in Scotland after a difficult spell in England where he struggled for minutes. It became clear Iraola simply didn’t consider him part of his plans, and that lack of playing time resulted in him failing to earn a call up from Javier Aguirre since the Gold Cup last summer. The Mexico manager has repeatedly stated that El Tri players must be getting regular minutes at their clubs to be considered for the World Cup roster.

Joining Celtic also reunites Araujo with manager Wilfried Nancy, whom he knows from his time in MLS. Recent reports suggested Liga MX powerhouse Club América had interest, but Araujo prioritised a move that kept him in Europe. With Mexico having lost Rodrigo Huescas to injury in late September, Araujo now has an opportunity to stake a claim at right back as competition for places intensifies in the six months before the World Cup.

The year produced a steady stream of blunt, witty and at times uncomfortable remarks from managers, players and club figures. Across leagues and competitions a few lines captured the mood of matches, dressing rooms and boardrooms.

Some comments landed as sharp critiques of performance. “We are s—.” summed up one manager’s public self-criticism, while another observed, “I changed absolutely everything in three days. I must be a really, really good manager.” Words could also be defensive: “Many people think I don’t know how to play football. They don’t have a f—— clue.”

Club politics and legal wrangles offered cleaner barbs. After a wage award, Kylian Mbappé’s legal team said, “I hope that PSG will be able to comply voluntarily, without having to go through a bailiff; that would be gracious.” Off the pitch, transfer and selection debates produced their share of sharp lines: “You ask stupid questions, you will get a stupid answer back.”

Managers repeatedly used striking metaphors. “One day you’re John Travolta, the next you’re Manolo González.” “The budget is like when you have your wedding: you plan your wedding with your wife and you give her a budget and it’s never less, it’s always more.” Others summed up the strain of leadership: “It’s a lonely job, being a manager.”

Player power and personality emerged too. Chloe Kelly forced a late loan move to Arsenal, where she would win the Champions League and regain her England spot before lifting the 2025 European Championship title. Some players used social media to change careers; others expressed frustration in public: “They’ve called reporters to assassinate my character and tried to plant negative stories about me in the football media.”

Not every line was combative. After an unexpected qualification, a veteran reflected: “My grandad used to say to me ‘effort equals reward.’ That’s not always true, but I’m happy that tonight it is.” And after promotion, a captain admitted: “We’ve bored our way to the Premier League.”

The season’s best quotes did more than amuse; they revealed how pressure, pride and personality collide in modern football.