Manchester City have regenerated their squad in the past 18 months and decisions now loom on four senior players
Manchester City’s squad evolution gathered pace last weekend as the Blues won their first trophy since the 2024 Premier League title when they beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.
While the silverware absence was not even two years, the Wembley win reaffirmed the trajectory this squad is on after a trophyless 2024-25 campaign.
City have a plethora of emerging talent alongside a core of experience and while there remain questions over Pep Guardiola’s future beyond the summer, the playing squad is in good shape.
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This summer will likely see the departure of two long-serving City players in John Stones and Bernardo Silva when their contracts expire. Skipper Bernardo said earlier in the campaign that he already knew what the future holds and there is little to suggest he will pen fresh terms at the Etihad even though Guardiola would happily hand a new deal to a player he values so highly.
For Stones, it’s injuries that look set to preclude a new City contract. The defender has suffered with fitness issues this term and pulled out of the England squad this week with a groin problem. Guardiola has spoken of how a decision on Stones would need to take into account what he has shown over the last two years and sadly for the centre-back, injury has prevented him from showing too much.
The departures of Stones and Silva would see a huge amount of experience leaving the building but City are in a position to cope with both exits. A summer transfer move for a new midfielder, with Elliott Anderson at Nottingham Forest of interest, would certainly help offset the departure of Silva, while Abdukodir Khusanov, Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias mitigate the loss of Stones.
It’s what might happen with two more City stalwarts that will carry plenty of intrigue over the coming months and potentially impact the Blues’ summer transfer plans.
Rodri and Phil Foden both see their contracts expire in 2027 and just now it’s difficult to confidently predict both will be here past that date.
Rodri spoke of his admiration for La Liga and Real Madrid this week, and while he then suggested people listen to the entire interview before jumping to conclusions, it’s difficult to ignore the prospect of Real signing the midfielder.
The 29-year-old is beginning to show his best again having suffered a serious knee injury and a couple of setbacks. Guardiola doesn’t feel his star man will be back to full throttle until this summer’s World Cup but City and Rodri will need to make a decision on whether a new deal is offered sooner rather than later.
City will not stand in any player’s way if they do want to depart, and would potentially rather obtain a fee for Rodri this summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer in 18 months.
The same would be true of Foden, although his future is more likely to be at City than not. The 25-year-old has struggled for form in recent months but remains a player capable of being among the best in the country and the hope at the Etihad is that he can return to the peak of his powers.
A probable World Cup and the uncertainty surrounding Guardiola’s future will play a part in any contract talks over the next few months but the feeling is club and player will come to an agreement for the boyhood Blue to extend his Etihad contract.
City’s summer transfer business will offer a further indication as to what the future holds as we wait for answers.
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