€305m worth of talent sold? The Man City stars that could leave the club this summer
Etihad overhaul
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Manchester City’s humbling defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League this week was not only a new low for Pep Guardiola in his managerial career, but it also put beyond any doubt that the current English champions will need to make some serious changes to their squad in the summer if they’re to once again challenge for major titles next season. And it seems as though the club are already drawing up plans to make space and free up necessary funds to bring in new players to help bolster the squad in the summer. According to the Mirror, the Etihad club are considering the sale of no less than eight senior players this summer, in a bid to finally fix the serious problems that have been holding Guardiola’s side back for the last six months. But which Man City stars look the most likely to leave the club at the end of the season and how much of an impact will that have on the squad?
When we consider which players will most likely leave Man City this summer, we must first begin with the players that are out of contract at the end of the season. Among those whose contracts expire in 2025 are Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gündogan, and Scott Carson. De Bruyne has been a vital part of City’s success over the years, but injuries and age could see the club move on from him after a lacklustre campaign. And Gündogan, who had already left for Barcelona, returned to the club last year and has struggled to match the heroic performances of yesteryear. Both will almost certainly leave, alongside veteran goalkeeper Carson.
| Rumour | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
Attacking Midfield
| Man City |
|
? |
 |
Al-Ittihad |
| Premier League | Saudi Pro League |
| Rumour | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
Attacking Midfield
| Man City |
|
23 % |
 |
RB Leipzig |
| Premier League | Bundesliga |
Expiring contracts may also dictate decisions over a sizable portion of the squad, which consists of players whose contracts run until 2026, including Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Ederson, James McAtee, and Stefan Ortega. Silva has been linked with moves away for several seasons and could finally seek a new challenge. Stones and Ederson remain integral to the squad, but have also been regular sources of frustration for Guardiola and fans of the club this season. As such, their potential exits would signal a major shift in City’s defensive stability. McAtee is a promising young talent, but has reportedly been pushing for a move away from the club to pick up more game time. While Ortega has been a reliable backup goalkeeper but may also be sold.
Additionally, City may look to offload players deemed surplus to requirements, such as Jack Grealish, Matheus Nunes, Kalvin Phillips, and Kyle Walker. Grealish, who arrived for a record fee, has struggled to justify his price tag. Nunes has been used in a variety of positions this season, without ever truly excelling at any one of them. And in Phillips and Walker the club will likely look to make their current loan moves at Ipswich Town and Milan respectively permanent in the summer, or find other suitable clubs to sign them.
| Rumour | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
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Left Winger
| Man City |
|
5 % |
 |
Bor. Dortmund |
| Premier League | Bundesliga |
When we then consider all 12 players in question, their collective market value comes to an impressive €305.2 million. And while Man City are unlikely to get anywhere near that in transfer fees, since many of the players have expiring contracts or will be entering the final year of their deals, it does represent a huge proportion of Man City’s squad. So much so that should Man City allow each player listed today to leave the club, it would represent 23% of their squad’s overall market value. And while it may seem like a drastic decision to make, it may be exactly what Guardiola and fans of the club will be demanding come the end of a tortuous season.
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