By Martin Graham
Manchester City’s summer spending spree has already surpassed £150 million, yet the most consequential addition may not be found on the pitch. In June, Pep Guardiola brought in Pep Lijnders – formerly Jurgen Klopp’s top assistant at Liverpool – as his new right-hand man. While Lijnders won’t play a single minute, his presence signals something deeper: a strategic reset at Manchester City.
Lijnders was central to Klopp’s training methods and heavily involved in refining the pressing and vertical attacking style that came to define Liverpool’s modern identity. His move to City suggests Guardiola is preparing for a departure from his own core principles, shaped by a decade and a half of positional dominance. The hire may not have made major headlines, but it marks a potential shift in philosophy at one of Europe’s most tactically sophisticated clubs.
Although Guardiola and Klopp’s footballing ideologies have often been cast as opposites – one rooted in structure and control, the other in intensity and chaos – the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Their shared time in the Premier League saw a mutual influence take shape: Klopp’s tactics embraced more control, while Guardiola’s evolved to meet the physical demands of English football.
That said, Lijnders’ emphasis on rapid transitions and aggressive pressing is fundamentally different from City’s traditional patient buildup. His arrival hints that Guardiola sees the game evolving – and is willing to evolve with it.
From positional play to rhythm and transition
Speaking earlier this year, Guardiola offered an unexpected perspective. “Modern football is the way Bournemouth, Newcastle, Brighton, and Liverpool play,” he told TNT Sports. “Modern football is not positional. You have to ride the rhythm.” Coming from a manager who helped define modern positional play, the statement underscored a dramatic change in direction.
The numbers back up this evolution. Manchester City’s share of possession fell from 65.5% in 2023–24 to 61.3% in the following season. Simultaneously, their number of fast breaks increased by over a third. Rather than always seeking control through short passes, City became more willing to bypass pressure entirely – often with direct long balls from Ederson or forward runs from newer, more dynamic players.
The January signing of Omar Marmoush represented a major moment in this shift. His style – more direct and less dependent on intricate combinations – gave a first glimpse into what a refreshed City might look like. Summer signings Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders followed, both known for their dribbling and ability to carry the ball through central areas rather than recycling possession.
Compared with the central midfielders City used most often last season, these new additions rank significantly higher in metrics such as progressive carries and attempted dribbles. It’s a clear indication that the emphasis is no longer on neat passing triangles, but on momentum, risk, and verticality.
This tactical pivot is further emphasized by the arrival of Rayan Ait-Nouri. While City have recently preferred deploying midfielders or center-backs at full-back to maintain positional structure, Ait-Nouri is a departure from that philosophy. One of Europe’s most attack-minded defenders, he brings dribbling, penetration, and end product.
Last season, Ait-Nouri was among the league’s best in several advanced metrics for full-backs: second in completed dribbles, top three in goal contributions, and within the top tier for both expected assists and opposition-box touches. His signing points to a reduced focus on midfield control and a greater openness to improvisation and pace.
Guardiola is no stranger to reinvention, but his collaboration with Lijnders could bring the most significant transformation yet. Manchester City fans are now asking new questions: how will these vertical attackers coexist? What will this mean for City’s usual style? As the new season approaches, Guardiola’s team appears headed in an unfamiliar but fascinating direction.
