Manchester City, under manager Pep Guardiola, has scaled unattained heights in English football and they look determined to continue their dominance at the highest level.
The Sky Blues have now won the Premier League title six times in the last seven seasons and by edging out Arsenal for the league last season, they became the first team in English history to win the league four times in a row.
The hallmark of Manchester City’s growth over the years has been its intellect in recruitment. While their scouting department continues to acquire the best of young individuals, they have also been experts in their sales business.
Plenty of their sales over the last few years caused major shockwaves, but that has barely impacted the overall result, as they continued to reign supreme in the league and a few other competitions.
Ahead of the new season, where once again they enter as favorites to win all possible titles, the Cityzens are burdened by the responsibility of letting go of some senior players in the team to balance the financial books.
Here are five players from the first team of Manchester City who could be on their way out before the summer transfer window closes on August 31.
#5 Bernardo Silva
It is possible, though not entirely likely, that Bernardo Silva, a key player for Manchester City in recent seasons, may be sold. Despite encountering some challenges a few seasons ago, Silva has made significant contributions to the club’s trophy haul.
Silva, a Portuguese player, will soon turn 30, just before the start of the 2024-25 Premier League season. In 233 league appearances for Manchester City, he has scored 39 goals and assisted 43 times. However, with the emergence of rising talents such as Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, Savinho, and Jack Grealish, Silva’s position in the team may be affected.
Silva’s contract expires in 2026, and this presents an opportune moment for Manchester City to consider his sale. The player himself is reportedly seeking new challenges and is rumoured to favour an exit from the club. Barcelona has expressed interest in acquiring Silva and offering him the iconic No. 10 shirt.
#4 Julian Alvarez
Julian Alvarez has emerged as a prominent figure, particularly since his remarkable performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup representing Argentina. While currently overshadowed by Erling Haaland at Manchester City, Alvarez’s boundless potential presents significant challenges for the club in retaining his services as a deputy to the Norwegian striker.
Alvarez has attracted the attention of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, who are actively monitoring the situation with the intention of acquiring the player. Additionally, other clubs such as Juventus and Atletico Madrid have initiated inquiries through the player’s entourage.
Alvarez joined Manchester City from River Plate during the winter transfer window of 2022, shortly before the arrival of Haaland. Throughout his tenure at the Mancunian club, he has amassed an impressive record, contributing 36 goals in 103 appearances. Driven by his aspirations to become the next No.9 for his national team, Alvarez seeks to avoid compromising those opportunities by accepting limited playing time under manager Pep Guardiola.
#3 Matheus Nunes
Nunes was signed for a transfer fee of £53 million from Wolves
Another potential departure that appears unlikely but is within the realm of possibility is that of Matheus Nunes. The former Wolverhampton player was acquired for a transfer fee of £53 million near the conclusion of the previous summer transfer window. by Guardiola, who was deeply impressed by Nunes’ performances while playing for Sporting Lisbon.
However, he only made 17 appearances in the league and 28 overall during the season, failing to score any goals and Guardiola’s comments indicated his dissatisfaction with Nunes’ development, it is possible that he could be on the market.
Several high-profile players, such as Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United, are reportedly on the Premier League champions’ wish list. However, the club’s hierarchy is unlikely to pursue such a significant sale without substantial outgoings.
#2 Joao Cancelo
On paper, Joao Cancelo is still a Manchester City player but because his tussle with Guardiola never came to a solution, the club heads will likely give it their all to sell the Portuguese player soon. Cancelo, who recently turned 30 years old, has had loan stints at Bayern Munich and Barcelona after he fell apart with the Man City manager over his playing time.
Hailed as one of the finest full-backs in the world, Cancelo possesses the unique versatility to do equally well as a right-back and left-back, although he naturally prefers the former. At Manchester City, he was often deployed on the left flank with Kyle Walker taking the right side and some of his best performances have come during these days for the club.
While Cancelo has reported his pleasure in continuing with Barcelona under new boss Hansi Flick, the financial issues of the club might be a hindrance. There are some other Saudi clubs also in contact with the player over a potential move to the Middle East but Barcelona is trying to lure the club for a deal of around €15-20 million.
#1 Kalvin Phillips
Manchester City invested approximately £45m to secure Phillips’s services from Leeds United
After Kalvin Phillips’s transfer from Leeds United to Manchester City, he was widely anticipated to become a prominent figure in global football. However, Phillips was ultimately unable to establish himself as a regular starter at Manchester City, often serving as a secondary option to Rodri for a significant period of his tenure.
Furthermore, persistent injury issues hindered his ability to secure a consistent run with the team. Currently, Phillips is eager to join a Champions League club to revitalise his career but the 28-year-old did not enhance his standing during his loan move to West Ham United last season, where he made only eight appearances in the league.
In his stint at Leeds United under the tutelage of Marcelo Bielsa, Phillips captivated the attention of Premier League audiences. Given the player’s remaining potential, the club would not object to offloading him at a slightly reduced price, particularly considering the financial relief it would provide from his £150k per week wages.