Manchester City may be enjoying the sunshine and soft sand of Florida, but this pre-season camp is anything but a vacation.
With just seven weeks until the Premier League kicks off again, Pep Guardiola and his team are facing some serious squad dilemmas—despite the early good vibes and smooth victories.
Beach Volleyball and a Light Start
The mood has been light so far. City’s beachfront base in Boca Raton has private shorelines, luxury loungers, and plenty of space for team bonding.
The squad breezed through early matches, including a dominant win over Al Ain that was so casual, Ilkay Gundogan felt comfortable calling out the team for not being sharper.
Even Guardiola got in on the relaxation, kicking around a volleyball left behind at the resort while his players recovered from training.
But while the smiles are real, the manager knows reality is waiting right around the corner.
Squad Size Becoming a Real Headache
City brought 27 players to the U.S., and even with Jack Grealish, James McAtee, and the injured Mateo Kovacic missing, it’s too many for Guardiola’s liking.
He’s known to prefer a tighter, more controllable group.
He had initially planned to bring a group of academy players too, but pulled back.
The thought of leaving too many out of matchday squads and training on the side didn’t sit right with him—it was a morale issue waiting to happen.
Champions League Rules Complicate Everything
The issue isn’t just about preference. Squad size matters when it comes to competitions, especially in Europe.
While City’s 27-man squad fits Premier League rules, the Champions League is more restrictive.
Teams can only register 17 foreign players—and City are well over that limit.
Recent international signings like Vitor Reis, Claudio Echeverri, Savinho, and Abdukodir Khusanov are young enough to play in the Premier League, but not eligible for Europe yet.
That leaves City juggling just 21 usable players for 17 spots.
Homegrown Player Shortage Isn’t Helping
Then there’s the problem of not having enough homegrown players.
If both Jack Grealish and James McAtee leave—as expected, with Grealish likely heading out on loan—City will be left with just five homegrown players eligible, not counting academy stars like Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly.
Interestingly, players like Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb qualify as homegrown under UEFA rules due to their time in English academies, but even with them, the numbers don’t quite add up.
Some Big Names Want to Stay
Despite the crowding, key players are pushing to stay.
Bernardo Silva made it clear he wants to see out his contract and even wore the captain’s armband—after Guardiola scrapped the long-standing leadership system that had been in place for almost 20 years.
John Stones followed suit, saying he’s ready to make up for lost time and squash speculation about a transfer.
Ilkay Gundogan, who’s been linked with Galatasaray, hasn’t been as vocal—but he, too, hasn’t indicated a desire to leave.
Midfield Is the Most Crowded Area
If there’s one part of the pitch that’s completely packed, it’s midfield.
Between senior players and promising youth options like Lewis and O’Reilly, City now have about 12 players who can operate centrally—including Rayan Cherki, who’s been used just behind Erling Haaland.
Guardiola has joked in the past about wanting a team of midfielders, but even by his standards, that’s too many.
At most, he’ll rotate five in a given matchday setup, leaving the rest fighting for minutes or a spot on the transfer list.
Transfers In and Out Still to Come
Txiki Begiristain, City’s long-time director of football, is stepping down after the current tournament, leaving Hugo Viana to take over solo.
The club’s early transfer activity has mostly been about arrivals—but now it’s time to offload.
Echeverri, who scored a sensational free-kick before injuring his ankle, was once on Lyon’s radar before the French side’s financial crash.
Meanwhile, questions remain over Matheus Nunes, who has struggled to convince Guardiola either as a midfielder or in a makeshift right-back role.
New Signings Could Shift the System
One player who’s made an instant impression is Rayan Ait-Nouri, the former Wolves full-back.
His debut saw him dominate the left flank, doubling anyone else’s dribble numbers and playing so high he may influence a new formation.
If Guardiola sticks with a lopsided back three, that could open a path for another winger or midfielder to fit in—but it also makes the squad puzzle even trickier.
With Jeremy Doku and Savinho in the mix, there may be 13 viable midfield options battling for just a few roles.
Juventus Test Could Reveal Guardiola’s Plan
City’s real test begins when they face Juventus, a stronger opponent than they’ve seen so far.
It’s likely to give fans and insiders a clearer view of what Guardiola is building toward for August.
Normally, we’d expect Pep to move away from the back-three system—but with assistant Pep Lijnders now beside him and a refreshed energy in the dugout, nothing is guaranteed.
And neither is anyone’s place in the team.
So while the Florida sun might be shining, make no mistake—this pre-season is serious business.
For several players, it may just determine whether they’re staying in sky blue or packing their bags before August rolls around.