Man City transfer news: More than 15 players could leave this summer

Manchester City could experience another busy transfer window this summer under sporting director Hugo Viana, who has already overseen a significant first-team overhaul since his arrival just over 12 months ago.

In excess of £300m was forked out on 12 players across the winter and summer transfer windows of 2025, before Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi arrived at the Etihad Stadium in January of this year for a combined fee in the region of £84m.

The 2026 EFL Cup winners are expected to strengthen further this summer - with or without manager Pep Guardiola at the helm - as they bid to re-establish their dominance on English football and progress deeper on the continental stage.

Still awaiting the verdict on the well-documented 115 Premier League charges levelled against them, Man City could look to sell players to raise funds for new recruits, while others may be loaned out to gain regular football.

Some senior stars are also likely to seek pastures new upon the expiration of their contracts in June, and with all that in mind, Sports Mole takes a look at which Man City players could leave the club this summer.

It is worth noting that Man City would not allow every name on the following list of players to depart in the same window, but these players have all been linked or tipped to potentially depart permanently or temporarily ahead of the new season.

Bernardo Silva

Bernardo Silva has reportedly informed Man City chiefs that he has decided to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season, ending his legendary nine-year association with the Citizens.

The 31-year-old playmaker, who has already lifted the EFL Cup as captain this season, has previously expressed his desire to return to boyhood club Benfica before he hangs up his boots.

However, Bernardo is also believed to be keen for a fresh challenge in another European league, with Barcelona his ‘preferred’ destination according to a recent report, despite interest from a host of other clubs including Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Chicago Fire.

John Stones

John Stones is another Man City player out of contract this summer and his decade-long spell at the Etihad is likely to come to an end, having failed to prove his fitness for a number of years - starting no more than 23 Premier League games in a single season since his debut campaign in 2016-17.

The 31-year-old has transformed into a hugely influential figure under Guardiola and remains in Thomas Tuchel’s England plans, when fit, but Man City are now in need of more reliable defensive options as they aim to challenge for honours in multiple competitions.

Nathan Ake

Nathan Ake is another defender who has had his fair share of fitness issues and has subsequently struggled to nail down a regular starting spot in Guardiola’s backline in the last few seasons, starting only four times in the Premier League this term.

The 31-year-old, who is under contract at the Etihad until June 2027, has been linked with a number of Serie A clubs in recent months, but a return to London for the ex-Chelsea man could be on the cards as he is allegedly rebuilding his house near the Blues’ Cobham training ground.

James Trafford

James Trafford only joined Man City last summer from Burnley for a reported £27m, penning a five-year contract, but the goalkeeper has been tipped to leave in search of regular first-team football as he is currently playing second fiddle to Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Recent reports claim that the 23-year-old is ‘increasingly likely’ to join Newcastle United, who missed out on his signature last summer, while Aston Villa are another Premier League club that have been credited with an interest.

Mateo Kovacic

Mateo Kovacic has been plagued with injuries over the last 12 months and has been reduced to just two first-team appearances this season following two surgeries on Achilles and ankle problems.

The midfielder is hoping to force his way back into the first-team fold soon, but his game time could be limited if Man City are to refresh their midfield by signing key targets such as Elliot Anderson, as well as rely on academy starlets including Nico O’Reilly.

With Kovacic’s contract expiring in June 2027, City may consider cashing in on the Croatian this summer.

Rodri

The possibility of Rodri leaving the Etihad this summer is fairly low, at this stage, but it cannot be entirely ruled out following the Spaniard’s refusal to rule out a future transfer to Real Madrid.

The influential 29-year-old, who has been playing regularly since the turn of the year following an injury-riddled 18-month spell, will soon be entering the final 12 months of his contract and Man City may need to weigh up whether to cash in on the midfielder if he does not agree to sign a new deal.

Phil Foden

Few would have envisaged the prospect of Phil Foden leaving his boyhood club around 12 months ago, but a disappointing drop-off in form has seen him fall down the pecking order under Guardiola and has sparked suggestions that he may consider seeking pastures new.

The Man City academy graduate, now 25, is due to see his current contract expire in June 2027 and talks over an extension are said to have stalled, with the versatile midfielder allegedly weighing up a move abroad.

Rico Lewis

Rico Lewis was seemingly destined for great things at Man City when he burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old, but the academy graduate has been on the fringes of the first team this season, starting just three Premier League games.

Now 21, Lewis has fallen behind Matheus Nunes in the right-back department and he is not a regular in midfield either. After rejecting offers of around £30m last summer, Man City may now consider fresh approaches for Lewis and the player himself may be open to a move away, even though he still has four years remaining on his contract.

Kalvin Phillips

Kalvin Phillips has been surplus to requirements at Man City for some time and it would be best for all parties is a permanent parting of ways is agreed this summer.

The 30-year-old midfielder, who made a seven-minute cameo appearance for the Citizens in an EFL Cup third-round tie in September, still has just over two years remaining on his contract at the Etihad and he is currently on loan at Championship club Sheffield United.

Jack Grealish

Five years on from his £100m transfer to Man City from Aston Villa, Jack Grealish is expected to leave the Etihad for good this summer and Everton are hopeful of making his loan deal permanent for a reported £20m.

The 30-year-old winger played 22 times for the Toffees this season before undergoing surgery on a stress fracture in his foot in February, ruling him out for the rest of the campaign.

Manuel Akanji

Manuel Akanji is also set to leave Man City this summer and permanently join Inter Milan, who are in a strong position to win the Serie A title this season.

The Nerazzurri are understood to hold a £15m buy-option clause for the 30-year-old defender, who arrived on a season-long loan deal last August and is now enjoying life in Italy.

Max Alleyne

After impressing on loan at Watford during the first half of this season, Max Alleyne was recalled by Man City in January during a defensive injury crisis and made a notable impression across his first five senior appearances, before a mistake-strewn outing in the Champions League against Bodo/Glimt.

A substitute appearance against Newcastle in the EFL Cup on February 4 soon followed, but the 20-year-old has not played for City since, largely due to the return of Ruben Dias, John Stones and Nathan Ake, as well as the signing of Marc Guehi and increasing importance of pacey Abdukodir Khusanov.

Man City may consider keeping Alleyne in order to comply with homegrown quota rules for next season, but they could also loan him back out this summer so that he can gain more first-team experience, if he is not assured of regular football at the Etihad.

Claudio Echeverri

It remains to be seen what the future holds for highly-rated attacker Claudio Echeverri, who could be re-integrated back into Guardiola’s plans or move out on loan again to gain regular first-team football.

The 20-year-old Argentine endured a frustrating spell on loan at Bayer Leverkusen during the first half of this season before joining Man City’s sister club Girona, where he has chipped in with one goal and one assist in nine appearances.

Sverre Nypan

Sverre Nypan is another highly-rated youngster who was loaned out by Man City in the summer, but his temporary spell at Middlesbrough was cut short in January after the midfielder was limited to just three starts in the Championship.

The 19-year-old Norway international has since been training with Man City’s first team, and if he is not assured of regular football at the Etihad next season, then another loan move could be on the cards.

Juma Bah

Juma Bah was signed by Man City in January 2025 and was immediately loaned out to Lens for the rest of the season before joining fellow Ligue 1 club Nice for the 2025-26 campaign.

Standing 6ft 5in tall at 19 years of age, Bah could be integrated into City’s squad for pre-season where he can be assessed further, but he has been tipped for both loan and permanent exits already, with Premier League clubs believed to be keeping tabs on his situation.

Divin Mubama

Divin Mubama has scored five goals in 26 appearances on loan at Stoke City this season, but the 21-year-old striker is not expected to feature in Guardiola’s first-team plans at Man City next term, so a loan or permanent exit could materialise this summer.

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey

Since featuring six times for Man City midway through the 2024-25 campaign, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey has struggled to make his mark across loan spells with Celtic and FC Koln this season, making just one appearance for the former before playing six times for the latter.

The 20-year-old is expected to return from his spell at Koln in the summer and his future will be assessed, with loan and permanent options set to be presented to the defender.

Josh Wilson-Esbrand

Currently on loan at Polish outfit Radomiak Radom, Josh Wilson-Esbrand has trained with Man City’s first team on a few pre-season tours, but the left-back has never forced his way into Guardiola’s first-team plans.

The 23-year-old will soon be entering the final 12 months of his contract at the Etihad and will presumably push for a permanent exit this summer.