Every player linked with a Man City exit this summer as Guardiola battles to maintain squad harmony

After securing a record fourth successive Premier League title, it’s difficult to envision how Manchester City could realistically strengthen their talent-packed squad ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Brazilian winger Savinho has arrived from sister club Troyes in a £21 million deal after impressing last season on loan with Girona in La Liga.

Outside of that addition, most of the recent transfer rumours concerning Pep Guardiola’s side concern potential departures for the Etihad as the Premier League champions look to refresh the options at the manager’s disposal.

Here is every Manchester City player linked with a move away this summer.

Julian Alvarez

A £14 million arrival just two years ago, Julian Alvarez might not be considered one of City’s biggest stars, but with 36 goals and 18 assists over 108 appearances for the club, the versatile forward has contributed heavily to back-to-back titles and a Champions League win.

Currently on duty with Argentina at the Olympics, Alvarez has insisted he will wait until after the Games before deciding whether to push for an Etihad exit, with reports suggesting the 24-year-old is eying more of a key role than City can offer.

And Guardiola hasn’t exactly ruled out a departure for the former River Plate star. “I don’t think about replacing,” he said when asked about Alvarez’s City future. “I know he wants to play in important moments, but the other players [want that] too.

“We have 18 or 19 players who want to play in the important games. I read he has to think about it, so OK, think about it and after that he will inform us what he wants to do.”

Arsenal, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid are all reportedly keen on the £77 million-rated striker.

Ederson

If Ederson had his way this summer, he’d be heading to Saudi Arabia after agreeing lucrative contract terms to switch to the cash-rich Middle Eastern league.

The Brazilian became the second most expensive goalkeeper in history at the time of his £35 million move to the Etihad in 2017. And it has proven money well spent for City as the former Benfica star has shone across multiple title-winning campaigns.

Negotiating on behalf of both Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr, the Saudi Public Investment Fund reportedly struck a deal with the 30-year-old Selecao keeper and have been trying to convince City to sell.

But as TEAMtalk exclusively revealed, City are determined to keep their star shot-stopper despite the Saudi sides’ firm interest.

Jack Grealish

City broke the British transfer record when they signed Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for £100 million in the summer of 2021. And after an indifferent debut campaign at the Etihad, the gifted wide player starred in his second season with the club, scoring five goals and providing 11 assists as Guardiola’s side completed the Treble.

Last season saw Grealish fall from favour, though, with new arrival Jeremy Doku becoming the preferred choice on the left flank. Grealish started just 10 Premier League games, scoring one goal and registering three assists.

His slide down the City pecking order ultimately cost him a place in England’s squad for Euro 2024, too, with the winger cut from Gareth Southgate’s provisional squad for the tournament.

“I’ll be honest, football-wise, it was the most difficult thing that I’ve ever had to deal with in terms of my own career,” Grealish said. “I was absolutely heartbroken.”

According to reports, the England omission left Grealish considering his City future. Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and former club Aston Villa have all been linked with moves for the 28-year-old at various stages this summer.

Kevin De Bruyne

In the nine years since his £55 million arrival from Wolfsburg, Kevin De Bruyne has cemented his status as one of the best players in Premier League history and arguably the greatest ever to play for City.

The classy Belgian playmaker has been key to six league titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League, while scoring 102 goals and providing a staggering 170 assists.

Now 33, though, City are having to face a future without De Bruyne as the former Chelsea player enters the final year of his contract at the Etihad.

His City exit could come as soon as this simmer, too. As TEAMtalk exclusively revealed recently, De Bruyne has verbally agreed on personal terms with Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad.

Bernardo Silva

It wouldn’t be a summer transfer window without rumours of a Manchester City exit for Bernardo Silva, and this year is no different.

Linked with a move to Barcelona last summer, City held on to the Portuguese playmaker and he once again turned in a stellar campaign for the Premier League champions, scoring 11 goals and providing 10 assists across all competitions.

Signed from Monaco in 2017, Silva has been a mainstay of City’s recent success, key to six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League triumph. And Guardiola has made his feelings on the gifted midfielder abundantly clear.

“I could stay here and talk for 10 minutes on what Bernardo Silva means for me and our team,” the manager said in October. “He is a player that is beyond good in all departments – solidarity, intelligence, he understands everything. We are in love with him.”

That hasn’t prevented other clubs from trying to prise Silva away from the Etihad, though. According to reports, Paris Saint-Germain made him a priority target ahead of this summer, while Barcelona reportedly retain an interest in the 29-year-old.

Mateo Kovacic

City signed Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea in a £25 million deal just last summer, but already the Premier League champions are believed to be open to selling the Croatian midfielder.

Kovacic started only 16 league games for Guardiola’s side last term, scoring just one goal and registering no assists.

The 30-year-old now finds himself a target for Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce, according to reports, and it is claimed City will sell the former Inter and Real Madrid man if they receive an offer than matches the fee they paid for him a year ago.

Kalvin Phillips

Kalvin Phillips has made just 16 Premier League appearances for City since signing from Leeds United in a £45 million deal in 2022. And it is extremely unlikely he will add to that tally.

The England midfielder earned his big-money move to the Etihad off the back of a stellar spell at the heart of his boyhood club’s midfield, helping the Elland Road side return to the top flight after a 16-year absence and standing out over two seasons after promotion.

But through injuries and stiff competition for places in Guardiola’s star-packed midfield, Phillips has found opportunities hard to come by in east Manchester. He was loaned out to West Ham for the second half of last season and Aston Villa have supposedly submitted an offer to take the 28-year-old on loan for the 2024-25 campaign.

City are said to prefer a permanent sale, though, with Everton reportedly frontrunners.

Matheus Nunes

Just a year on from his £53 million arrival from Wolves, Matheus Nunes is shaping up to be one of the worst City signings of the Guardiola era.

The Portuguese midfielder featured in just 656 minutes of Premier League action last term, failing to score and registering just two assists.

Nunes first caught Guardiola’s attention while at Sporting CP and City fought hard to sign him from Wolves last year, only securing a deal on the final day of the transfer window after a drawn-out saga.

But now, it’s been claimed City are ready to cut their losses on the 25-year-old amid interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.

READ MORE: The eight times Man City have broken their club transfer record in the Abu Dhabi era