Sport

Kolo Touré joins Manchester City’s backroom staff on a permanent basis

His return to club has been extended.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 15th July 2025

Former Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool defender, Kolo Touré, has now permanently re-joined the club as a first-team coach.

The retired centre-back, who finished his career at Scottish giants Celtic FC before hanging up his boots back in 2017 and becoming part of their backroom staff, has been working with Man City as part of the FIFA Club World Cup set-up.

Having clearly impressed on the road, not to mention having spent last season as Assistant Lead Coach alongside U18s boss Oliver Reiss – with the youth side winning the Premier League North title – the 44-year-old has now been given an assistant coaching job with the senior squad on a full-time basis.

Announced on Tuesday, 15 July, ahead of City’s pre-season tour getting underway next month, Kolo Touré is the latest among multiple recent appointments to manager Pep Guardiola’s ranks.

Hailing from the Ivory Coast and having enjoyed a career spanning more than 15 years, he’s considered one of the greatest African players of all time, so it’s no question that he brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the role.

Touré, who made more than a century of appearances for the Blues, began his coaching journey with the national team before assisting Brendan Rodgers at both Celtic and Leicester City.

He also spent a rather short spell at another Greater Manchester side, being made head coach of Wigan Athletic in November 2022.

But it wasn’t to be…

The older brother of fellow City club legend, Yaya, was ultimately sacked around two months later (just 59 days, to be exact) after having failed to win a single fixture in his first name games in charge.

Commenting on Toure’s appointment as first-team assistant coach, Director of Football Hugo Viana said in an official club statement: “We’re delighted to permanently add Kolo to our first team coaching staff.

“Not only does he bring his immensely precious experience at football’s elite level, but he also has a deep connection with Manchester City and a deep knowledge of the Club.

“We’ve also been hugely impressed with his work and success with our Under-18s, and by adding him to our senior staff permanently, this will only strengthen the transition for players in our Academy into the first team.

“As we already saw throughout his time with Pep Guardiola, Pep Lijnders and James French this summer, his massive personality of optimism and positivity is hugely infectious and we’re already looking forward to his work moving forward.”

In case you were unfamiliar with the latter two names, you’ll find all you need to know down below.

Pep Guardiola’s new coaches and why Manchester City fans should care

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Featured Images — Alfonso Jimenez/Stuart Grout (via Flickr)/Manchester City (via website)

Sport

England cricket legend Sir James Anderson joins Manchester Originals for The Hundred 2025

Danny Jones Danny Jones Jimmy Anderson signs for Manchester Originals The Hundred

England and Lancashire County Cricket (LCC) legend Sir James, a.k.a. ‘Jimmy’ Anderson, has officially signed for Manchester Originals ahead of this year’s The Hundred campaign.

What a statement from the Greater Manchester side.

Pretty much universally considered the greatest fast bowler England has ever produced, Jimmy Anderson made his emotional retirement from test cricket this time last year, but has remained on the county and club cricket scene.

Now 42, the knight of The Oval and the realm is in the twilight of his career, but you’ll struggle to find many others of his ability and sheer amount of experience anywhere else in the competition.

Selected by Manchester Originals as their wildcard pick for the 2025 tournament, Anderson is set to become the second-oldest pro to ever play in the history of The Hundred.

The fast-paced cricket format only began back in 2021, but has quickly gone on to become a fan favourite, with sell-out games over at the Emirates Old Trafford and, indeed, up and down the country.

Roping in veterans like the much-loved Northern lad will only help bring more eyes to the games.

With more than 400 career appearances and nearly 1,000 wickets at international level alone over the course of more than two and a half decades in the sport, they don’t get much more iconic than Jimmy Anderson – it’s a big coup for Manchester Originals.

As mentioned, while the Lancashire-born bowler’s time in international whites may have come to an end, as well as serving as a key Roses mentor, he’s still an LCC star. Representing Lancashire Lightning in the year’s T20 Blast, ‘The Burnley Express’ has already claimed 14 wickets in his first eight matches.

Class is permanent, as they say.

Discussing his impending debut, the ‘King of the Swing’ said: “I’m really looking forward to The Hundred, and I’m really happy to be part of the Manchester Originals squad. I’ve loved my time with Lancashire this season, so I’m excited to have the opportunity to add value in The Hundred.”

“It’s a competition I’ve really enjoyed watching. When you’re at the games, you can really see that it does attract a slightly different crowd, a lot of younger people and families, and you can’t underestimate how important that is for our game. I can’t wait to get out there.”

The first lot of Hundred fixtures get underway on Tuesday, 5 August, with the first home match at Old Trafford Cricket Ground welcoming the toss the following day (Wed, 6 Aug).

You see the rest of The Hundred 2025 wildcard draft picks in full HERE.

Manchester Originals fixtures confirmed for The Hundred 2025
Tickets are on sale now.

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Featured Images — Press shot (supplied via The Hundred)/ Dan Heap (via Flickr)

Sport

Manchester City sign record-breaking deal to extend Puma kit partnership for another DECADE

Danny Jones Danny Jones Man City sign record-breaking deal to stay with Puma

Manchester City have officially signed a long-term extension with global sports brand Puma to continue making their kits for at least another decade in what has been reported as a record-breaking sponsorship deal.

The eight-time Premier League champions brought on Puma as their primary kit manufacturers six years ago, and the pair have been together during the most successful period in the club’s history.

Boasting a Treble, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup and four consecutive league titles to their name throughout this time, it’s pretty much been a perfect marriage, so neither City nor Puma were likely to part ways anytime soon.

With that in mind, the collaboration has been extended by another decade in a deal reported to be worth a potential £1 billion – the same figure that made up the total prize pot for this year’s Club World Cup.

Not that we’re assuming you’re terrible at maths, but to put this into context further, this extension is worth a whopping £100 million a year, making it comfortably the most lucrative kit partnership in Premier League history.

The initial contract between Man City and the sportswear giants was worth £65 million (also spanning 10 years) back in 2019, but the prolific and highly profitable spell that has followed has led to this extension being welcomed by both parties.

Writing in a press release, the club said: “Commercially, Manchester City and PUMA have set new club sales global records, in addition to co-creating iconic, best-selling kits such as the 2022/23 Colin Bell-inspired home shirt worn during the Treble-winning season.

“PUMA and Manchester City have introduced industry-leading innovations both in terms of product and marketing campaigns over the past seasons.”

Citing crossovers with Puma subsidiary, stitchd, and brand activations such as the AI kit design competition for the 26/27 campaign, they insisted that their work together thus far has “delivered breakthrough innovation, cultural moments and commercial success, both on and off the pitch.”

The club went on to add that, “This is a partnership built on shared values: performance, creativity, innovation, community and sustainability.”

Meanwhile, CFG (City Football Group) CEO Ferran Soriano, said of the fresh announcement: “We joined forces with PUMA with the ambition to challenge ourselves and go beyond the expectations. We have achieved this and more over the last six seasons.

“PUMA have seamlessly integrated into our organisation, and we’ve enjoyed many historic moments together, engaging fans globally. Today’s renewal and extension solidifies our relationship and projects it to an even brighter future.”

How would you rate Man City’s Puma shirt designs up till now out of 10, Blues?

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Featured Images — Press shots (via PUMA/Manchester City)

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