Manchester City: Transfer Tightrope Walk – De Bruyne Dilemma, Rodri’s Reassurance, and Clearing the Decks
Manchester City’s trophy cabinet is overflowing, but their summer transfer plans remain curiously bare. While Pep Guardiola’s squad boasts an enviable depth, key questions linger as they prepare for an intense season with an expanded Champions League and a Club World Cup thrown into the mix. Here are the three burning transfer issues City needs to address in the coming weeks:
1. De Bruyne’s Departure or Devotion?
The future of midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne casts a long shadow. City’s stance is clear: they won’t hold him hostage, but his brilliance, even when not at his peak, is undeniable. A new contract seems like the natural solution, but De Bruyne’s age (33 this week) and recent injury history might lead to a wait-and-see approach.
The situation gets even trickier with reported interest from Saudi clubs. While De Bruyne’s contract allows him to leave if he desires, a potential exit would force City to scramble for a long-term successor.
2. Rodri’s Right-Hand Man
City doesn’t necessarily need a Rodri replacement, but a reliable backup is a must. The Kalvin Phillips experiment was a resounding flop, and Fernandinho’s twilight years didn’t offer a long-term solution.
Could İlkay Gündoğan, a player comfortable in both defensive and attacking midfield roles, be the answer? Developing Mateo Kovačić into a more defensive midfielder is another option. Promoting academy talents like Mahamadou Susoho or Jacob Wright could ease the burden, or perhaps a cost-effective backup could be brought in.
A wildcard solution? Versatile youngster Rico Lewis, despite preferring a more attacking role, could potentially slot into a double pivot alongside someone else.
3. Clearing the Decks for Fresh Blood
Joao Cancelo and Kalvin Phillips seem destined for the exit door, but finding permanent buyers might be challenging. Barcelona’s financial woes likely rule them out for Cancelo, while concrete offers for Phillips haven’t materialized. Loan deals might be the only realistic option for these unwanted players.
Sergio Gomez, another fringe player, seems unlikely to see a turnaround in his City fortunes, with his Olympics call-up further pushing him towards the exit.
Beyond these names, whispers of Bernardo Silva and Ederson leaving exist, but their contracts suggest otherwise. Further outgoings are likely to be academy graduates or loan players, with Liam Delap, James McAtee, and Callum Doyle as potential departures.
While City has a proven track record of successfully offloading players, these decisions will be crucial in freeing up funds and squad space for the reinforcements they need to maintain their dominance on multiple fronts.
