Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic is set to miss the FIFA Club World Cup following the surgery the Croat had to undergo due to an Achilles injury. The 31-year-old, who made 42 appearances for the club in the recently concluded season, will miss the revamped edition of the club competition. “Mateo will spend the summer rehabilitating from the operation, and everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery,” a club statement confirmed. ALSO READ| French Police Detain Fans During PSG Champions League Triumph Celebrations Pep Guardiola and Co. finished the 2024/25 campaign trophyless and an overhaul at the Mancunian side is expected to bolster the Cityzens’ charge for titles in the upcoming season. City finished the recently concluded Premier League season third behind Liverpool, who clinched their record-levelling 20th English top-flight title under Arne Slot, and second-placed Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, in a tumultuous season marked by turbulence in head coach Guardiola’s personal life and a prolonged bout of injury to Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri. Rodri, who played a crucial part in helping City to the treble a couple of seasons ago, made his first appearance for the Mancunian side in over eight months and was given a raucous ovation when he was subbed on against Bournemouth in the side 3-1 win over the Cherries. ALSO READ| Macron On Violence In Paris After PSG’s UCL Win: ‘Nothing Can Justify…’ City will also have to deal with the departure of the star playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, and the team’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak clarified that the side have clear direction to head about in the transfer market to further add to their strength. City roped in Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt, Abdukodir Khusanov from RC Lens and Nico Gonzalez from Porto in addition to reinforcing the squad with a number of loan moves and youth retentions, and will look to add to the list in the summer window.