Manchester City’s season hasn’t even finished but there have already been months of work that have gone into preparing for the summer transfer window.
Txiki Begiristain and his team like to plot their moves well in advance to be able to get the best deals, and it could be another big summer of change at the Etihad. Midfield is looking like a critical area for the second successive year, while there are futures that need to be sorted in every area of the pitch.
Making things even more difficult for clubs this summer is the European Championship, which starts on June 14 – the same day that the transfer window opens – and will mean a lot of the best players in Europe will be busy with their national teams for a chunk of the summer. Here is how things are shaping up at City.
Goalkeepers
Not normally an area of interest but things have really livened up in recent days with news that Stefan Ortega could stay and that Ederson could leave. Come in, Scott Carson?
In reality, it still feels more likely that Ederson stays given Pep Guardiola has confirmed that he remains No.1. And if that is the case, Ortega may well end up considering his options; the number of games he has managed this year is in part down to the freakish number of injuries that Ederson has suffered, which surely won’t happen again.
Either way, City have to have a goalkeeper lined up to sign in the window to protect themselves against losing a goalkeeper that they have complete faith in.
Defenders
One big exit to watch for would be Kyle Walker, who almost signed for Bayern Munich last summer and has interest in him this year including from Saudi clubs. The 33-year-old has lived the dream as City captain this season, but has spoken before of factoring in his personal life into football decisions and he may choose to go out at the Etihad on a high.
Former City youngster Jeremie Frimpong has just won the league with that incredible unbeaten season at Leverkusen and has been mentioned to potentially return to the Blues, although that move is not thought to be being actively considered. Rico Lewis will be aiming to kick on next season, even if he has said he sees himself moving into midfield rather than playing full-back.
City will get £20m in summer if Southampton are promoted given a clause in Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ loan deal, and even if that doesn’t pay off they can expect a good fee given that is now two excellent years in the Championship; a Premier League club could come calling. The same can be said for Callum Doyle, who impressed at Leicester despite a serious injury and will not be short of suitors for either another loan or a permanent deal.
The Joao Cancelo issue remains too, with no way back for him at the Etihad but a contract until 2027 and an ability that should warrant a decent price. Barcelona, where he has been this season, are unlikely to be able to find a value that City are happy with given their money problems so the Blues will be left hoping that agent Jorge Mendes can work some magic if they are not to end up with a cut-price sale or another loan.
Midfield
Is this finally the year that Bernardo Silva leaves? The tireless midfielder has been open for a new challenge for four seasons now yet he has been so valuable that nobody has been able to come up with an acceptable offer. Paris Saint-Germain came in last summer and are the club expected to have the most serious interest again, with reports of a £50m release clause in the contract signed by Silva last year that would surely be within their grasp – particularly with Kylian Mbappe now off the wage bill.
Kevin De Bruyne is being eyed as a marquee signing for the Saudi Pro League, although the Belgian has shown his enduring value to City with 10 Premier League assists this season despite missing the first half of the season with injury. City cannot expect the 32-year-old to go on forever, but he has shown that he still has the engine and motivation to compete at the highest level.
Matheus Nunes endured a difficult first season at the Etihad, although Guardiola was happy enough with the potential and application shown by the former Wolves man and he will surely get another chance to develop. The same can’t be said for Kalvin Phillips after two years of going backwards, although recouping anything close to the £45m fee will be difficult; Leeds getting promotion would present as romantic a return as the West Yorkshire town can be considered romantic.
With such doubts over the midfield – and potentially an extra body needed to give Rodri more protection – there remains strong interest in West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta, who may well have been signed instead of Nunes last season if there hadn’t been the betting investigation into him. That would set City back around £75m, and it would likely require more than that to tempt Newcastle to sell Bruno Guimaraes – another who has been linked.
Claudio Echeverri has already been bought for an initial £12.5m from River Plate, although he is understood to be staying there for the rest of the calendar year. It will be interesting to see if he comes to Manchester in the January window or moves elsewhere, probably within the City Football Group.
Forwards
Savio is the early news, with the on-loan Girona forward expected to complete a move from Troyes to City once the CFG phonelines can get a conference call going. Another direct winger who loves to take defenders on, it offers up the possibility of City’s attack taking on a different outlook next season.
Despite that, and despite a difficult year that he has admitted to, there is very little serious suggestion that Jack Grealish could be moved on. The former Villa man has shown again how he improves the XI when he plays even if those matches have been too few recently.
Oscar Bobb is expected to stay around the squad, and there is a decision to be made on the returning James McAtee after a year at Sheffield United that didn’t go as well as the previous one. He will have plenty of interest and would generate a good fee, although may want to try and force his way in at the Etihad.
