Forget the treble, Manchester City can win a septuple in 2023-24!

Manchester City could win up to seven major trophies in 2023-24. The club’s brilliant treble of trophies last season ended with some pundits claiming it was the best-ever season in sports. Not just football, but all sports. But it could get even sweeter.

The excitement and praise may have come 12 months too early. By this time next year, Manchester City could be celebrating seven trophies, as they go for the Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, League Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, Premier League, and UEFA Champions League all in the same season. If there is one team in Europe currently capable of lifting seven different pieces of silverware it is Pep Guardiola’s.

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What is there to say about Guardiola that hasn’t been said already? He is the greatest manager of the modern era. Contemporaries like Jurgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti, and Jose Mourinho are all great in their own ways. Yet, Guardiola has redefined football, with up-and-coming managers copying the Spaniard’s style from training methods to match tactics.

Erling Haaland is coming off one of the greatest goalscoring seasons in football history. He scored 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions. Haaland missed just three games due to injury in all competitions. It was his injury record at Borussia Dortmund that some questioned, believing Haaland couldn’t survive a full Premier League season.

Celebrating our record-breaker and @etihad 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐒, @ErlingHaaland! 💥 pic.twitter.com/57R8HGjnsx

— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 27, 2023

Haaland will have familiar faces around him in attack. Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, and Phil Foden will all have their places in the team. Champions League hero Ederson will provide the base of the spine along with final goalscorer Rodri.

If Manchester City are to win all seven competitions, they will need to improve the squad. That sounds a bit ridiculous following the campaign fans just witnessed, but there are areas that need to be improved, especially with a few players linked with the Etihad Stadium exit.

Ilkay Gundogan has already departed Manchester City for Barcelona. The German international didn’t wait long for the Champions League party to end before announcing that he was joining Barcelona on a free contract. Gundogan scored eight goals last season in the Premier League, but each one was vital in the Cityzens’ title fight against Arsenal.

Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic will be Gundogan’s replacement. His £25 million transfer is a strong piece of business from the Premier League champions. Kovacic won’t be the last player to join the club this summer. West Ham’s Declan Rice is now on the City radar. Although Guardiola didn’t seem to fancy Rice previously, he is now ready to add the midfielder to the menu.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva continues to be linked with a move away from the club. Silva seems to be perpetually unhappy. Since the day he arrived in Manchester in 2017, he has angled for a move away. The last three summers have featured plenty of rumours about Silva moving to cash-strapped Barcelona. Now, the rumours claim Silva will move to Saudi Arabia. Manchester City won’t keep an unhappy player, if the right transfer fee arrives.

Speaking of unhappy players, Joao Cancelo is still a Manchester City player for now. Bayern Munich returned the full-back to Manchester after a lacklustre loan spell in Germany. He is set to leave with the destination to be determined. Fellow City full-back Kyle Walker is also headed for the exit. He is likely to join Bayern Munich.

In one transfer window, Guardiola could lose three to four key contributors from the treble team. Each played a part in City’s successes over the last three seasons. However, their departures will give Guardiola the opportunity to bring in fresh blood and hungry players. It is a chance to keep the squad from going stale after winning the Champions League.

The first trophy up for grabs in the new season is the Community Shield on August 6. City’s opponents will be Premier League runners-up Arsenal. The Gunners failed to defeat City in three attempts last term, succumbing to the Sky Blues at every turn. But Arsenal could be City’s biggest threat in their attempt to win seven trophies.

Guardiola’s team starts slowly and peaks around the middle of the season. In the 2022 edition of the Community Shield, Liverpool won 3-1 against Man City. The Reds never trailed in the game and only faced difficulty when Manchester City scored in the 70th minute. Although some fans will call the Community Shield a friendly, there is still a trophy up for grabs to add to the cabinet.

Ten days after facing Arsenal, Manchester City will play for the UEFA Super Cup for the first time. Europa League kingpins, Sevilla will be waiting for them. City have plenty of history with Sevilla. Since 2015, the teams have met four times in European competition, with Manchester City winning all four matches. By the end of August, the Cityzens could have two trophies to their name already.

The League Cup was Manchester City’s downfall last season. A 2-0 loss away from home to Southampton in the quarterfinals ended City’s hopes of a possible four-trophy campaign. Then Southampton manager Nathan Jones somehow masterminded a win. Southampton fans are still wondering how that happened.

The Premier League will be Manchester City’s bread-and-butter in the new season. The club can become the first to win the competition in four consecutive campaigns. Only Manchester United have won the Premier League in three straight season, which they did twice under Sir Alex Ferguson. City matched that feat and could turn it into four consecutive league titles by the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Manchester City have built a Premier League dynasty. The new season could see them strengthen their grip on the Champions League as well. After years of Champions League failure, Guardiola finally rediscovered the magic touch in the competition.

You know where they are! 🖼️ pic.twitter.com/35XHm2QAhI

— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 26, 2023

Seven trophies could be the ruin of City, however. With so much to gain in one season, it would be the optimal time for another club to come along and win the league. However, the Premier League is seeing parity thanks to the influx of its TV money. Teams are beating up on each other regularly, taking points here and there. For the most part, City were the only side immune to it – especially in the second half of the season.

Can Manchester City win seven trophies in 2023-24? It is a possible, but work needs to be done in the transfer market to ensure the team is up for the challenge by August 6.