Sky Blue News: Greenwood Signs, City Strong, Rico Time?, and More...

Just one more day until the Manchester City Men make their return from the World Cup break. Sky Blue News is here with all the latest to keep you up to date. Dig in.

GREENWOOD ON HER FUTURE AMBITIONS WITH CITY - Paul Brown - ManCity.com

Greenwood has enjoyed a successful spell in the sky blue of City, winning the Women’s FA Cup in 2020/21 and the Continental Cup in 2021/22, added to her triumph for the Three Lions at Euro 2022 this past summer.

But the classy defender is eager for more – and believes she’s at the perfect club to deliver those honours.

She said: “I want to win the league. I want to compete in the Champions League. I want to win the Champions League.

“I have really high standards of myself and I know this club has really high standards of what we achieve.

Greenwood Signs New Contract Extension at Manchester City Women - Manc Pete - Bitter and Blue

The new contract marks the end of a remarkable year for the former Everton, Liverpool, United and Notts County star, who was also a key figure for the Lionesses as they roared to European Championship victory over the summer.

Following the announcement, Greenwood expressed her delight at signing her new extension. “I’m really pleased to have my new deal sorted and it’s come at the perfect time – after a strong first half to the season, I can now just focus on the remainder of the campaign and the next three years.

And the defender told of how she feels settled with the blues. “Feeling settled at a club for me is so important and I absolutely have that here at City, which is why I’ve signed such a long-term deal - I just love being here. I have a really good relationship with Gareth [Taylor] – we’ve worked together throughout my whole time here so far – and the way he wants us to play marries up exactly with how I want to personally, so it’s the perfect match for me.

City in good state following the World Cup - Adam Marrett - Man City Square

With Belgium & Germany failing to get out of the group stage, it gave much needed rest for Kevin De Bruyne & Ilkay Gundogan, especially at their age. Whilst no doubt the two would be disappointed with how their nations performed but the positive for City is they both got some well needed rest, which will come in handy later in the season.

Spain going out in the second round returned Rodri & Aymeric Laporte earlier then expected which is great news for City, especially for Rodri with the workload he carries during the season. Manuel Akanji also returned.

Then the Quarter Finals happened with our English & Portugese contingent all returning home in time for the Leeds game in the Premier League at worst.

Kyle Walker getting some games into his legs is only a positive as we missed him badly, in my opinion, in the lead up to the World Cup. Kalvin Phillips also got some minutes in, not a lot but enough to suggest he’s fit and ready to help out and show how good he really is.

Phil Foden was finally trusted by Southgate later in the group stages, and the knockout stage, showing what we all know he’s capable of. I expect Phil to take the next step in the second half of the season. John Stones had a fantastic World Cup for England, he’d have to have been one of the best defenders through our the tournament, so he returns to City in form, and ready to press for a consistent first team place.

Man City get triple boost ahead of Liverpool FC tie as World Cup players return to training - Joe Bray - Manchester Evening news

Manchester City’s options to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup have been boosted as three defensive options have returned to training following the World Cup.

City are set to field a makeshift XI against Liverpool on Thursday, made up of players who didn’t qualify for the World Cup, youngsters, and those who exited Qatar 2022 early. Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne and Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan should play after their group-stage exits and friendly appearances vs Girona at the weekend.

Now, three players knocked out in the early part of the knockout stages have returned to training, although City’s five England representatives are yet to come back to the Etihad Campus and are unlikely to face Liverpool.

Netherlands defender Nathan Ake, who started every game for his country until their quarter-final exit to Argentina, is back at the City Football Academy, along with Switzerland centre-back Manuel Akanji.

Manchester City: Jude Bellingham could be De Bruyne’s heir - Jimmy Moorehouse - Football Fancast

Although any transfer for the teenage wonderkid would likely set City back around £130m, he appears to have the potential to play at the top level for at least another decade-and-a-bit, so it could be a shrewd investment by the Citizens if they sign him.

De Bruyne is still at the top of his game, with his three goals and nine assists in the Premier League this season ranking him behind only Erling Haaland at the Etihad in terms of goal contributions. However, the Belgium international will turn 32 next summer and City could soon need a replacement if he is to decline in the twilight of his career.

Man City teenager Rico Lewis is ready to take his chance in the absence of returning World Cup stars... as he reveals Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne have barely mentioned their embarrassing group stage exits - Jack Gaughan - Mailonline

The 18-year-old has drawn high praise from manager Pep Guardiola as he acts as an understudy to City’s senior options at right back.

Teenager Rico Lewis is ready to take his chance with Manchester City over the coming days in the absence of several of their experienced names who are yet to return from the World Cup

Teenager Rico Lewis is ready to take his chance with Manchester City over the coming days in the absence of several of their experienced names who are yet to return from the World Cup

Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo were among those knocked out at the quarter-final stage and, as of Tuesday morning, had not returned to training.

‘I’m not really focusing (on that), but it’s in the back of your mind that a few players are out and not everyone will be eligible to play,’ Lewis said. ‘There will be opportunities there, but it’s on the day whatever gets picked gets picked.

‘Thursday will be big. I’ve got no clue if I play or not, I’d love to but it’s not my choice, it’s up to the manager - whatever he picks I’ll do.’

Lewis, who was among a small number of first-team players who visited Abu Dhabi for a warm-weather camp during the World Cup, also featured in an FA Youth Cup win with the Under 18s last week despite his growing reputation.

And finally... Could our Vinny be the heir-apparent to Pep?

Could Vincent Kompany Eventually Replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City? - Gabriel Sutton - Opta Analyst

A sign that the Catalonian is very happy in his current position, in one sense, yet put another way, he hasn’t penned a four or five-year deal, which may well have been on the table for the person many see as the best manager in the world.

As such, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that Guardiola plans to have a sabbatical in 2025, after nine years in post and 12 in management, stretching back to his Bayern Munich tenure.

It is highly audacious to look this far in the future, and much can happen between now and then which would throw off course any current theories on succession.

One possible trajectory, however, is that Vincent Kompany wins the Championship title with Burnley this season, keeps them up comfortably in the Premier League in 2023-24 before recording a top half finish the following season.

By this point, the Belgian would have likely hit a glass ceiling with the Clarets and be keen to embark on his next chapter, while City may be prepared to take a chance on him with the managerial potential he’d have shown, combined with the added dimension of his history with the club.

There you have it. Stay with Bitter and Blue as we build up to the Carabao Cup Fourth Round clash against Liverpool FC at the Etihad tomorrow.