Manchester City are yet to make a signing in the summer transfer window but have a number of incomings and exits to negotiate before the deadline.
Manchester City are – like almost every other club – yet to make a signing in the summer transfer window.
With Euro 2024 and the Copa America ongoing, the transfer market is taking time to get up and running this summer. That will disrupt an already-disrupted pre-season schedule, and City may have to start the campaign without finalising the squad that will defend the Premier League title.
As well as a search for reinforcements, City are also trying to resolve the futures of any wantaway players. Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo, Kalvin Phillips and Sergio Gomez are among those linked with exits.
Simon Bajkowski
It’s been difficult to watch England at these Euros, and the word from the Spain camp is that it is difficult to watch Rodri. Not in games, because he is still capable of showing why he is unrivalled in that midfield role, but because there are serious concerns about how long he can go on for.
The player himself was bothered enough after the Treble to tell coaches he needed more rest, yet another summer transfer window provided little respite and Rodri himself had to learn how to rest up in matches once they were won. He made it through another year as the best player in the Premier League, yet the warning signs only grew and are loud again.
Signing a player to take the burden off Rodri won’t be the most eye-catching decision City make this summer but it is reaching the point where it has to be considered the priority. Even if there is change further forward in midfield or in the attack, getting adequate backup for Rodri feels like the most important strengthening City can do in this window.
Joe Bray
De Bruyne says he would be open to a bumper contract in Saudi Arabia and he has another year left on his City contract. It feels like if he doesn’t leave this year, there’s every chance he could call time on a glittering City career in 12 months. Whenever he does depart, City need a succession plan. If a long-term successor is available this summer, City must strike.
Maybe that person is Bruno Guimaraes, but he’s not worth £100m and City can afford to wait another year if they need to. They have shown before they are prepared to go a season without a key replacement if the deal isn’t right. Phil Foden can continue his move into the No.10 role, with Savio potentially offering another option on the wing.
There are questions over left-back cover, a future right-back while the centre-backs aren’t getting any younger. But Bernardo might leave, despite his decent contract, and the long search for a proper competitor for Rodri at No.6 continues. So, refreshing the midfield is an issue that will only grow in the next two to three years, and this summer could be the time to be proactive before the issue becomes more pressing.
Tyrone Marshall
It felt like a pretty strange situation to hear the England manager talk of missing Kalvin Phillips on Thursday night, when City have willingly gone without him for two seasons now. What England are really missing is the Phillips who looked so good for Leeds and in Euro 2021.
City have missed that player as well. For whatever reason he never quite hit those heights at the Etihad but it’s a transfer that should have worked. The reality is it hasn’t.
The fact it hasn’t has placed an intolerable workload on Rodri and he has looked to be in the danger zone during this summer’s European Championship. He has taken a couple of knocks for Spain in successive games.
With Phillips clearly not the answer, City have to find a player who can fill in for Rodri this season. It is becoming akin to Tottenham’s attempts to find a back-up to Harry Kane. You know that player will start when he’s fit but you need a very capable deputy who is happy to get 15 games a season in a winning team.
It’s not easy to find that kind of player, especially one who will slot into Guardiola’s system. Phillips ticked all the boxes except the last one. It’s back to the drawing board this summer but the Blues need another holding midfielder.