One Man City star is "most likely" to leave in January - it's not Savinho, Oscar Bobb or Rico Lewis

Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole that Nathan Ake is more likely to leave the club in January than Savinho, Oscar Bobb and Rico Lewis.

The winter transfer window is edging ever closer and Pep Guardiola’s side have been linked with a couple of potential new signings, with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo said to be one name be high on their list of targets.

It has been suggested that if Man City are to sign any new players next month, it could result in some current first-team players departing, with recent reports claiming that Savinho, Bobb and Lewis are among those at risk of being sold to generate funds.

Savinho was strongly linked with Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, but a transfer failed to materialise before the Brazilian winger opted to sign a new long-term contract until 2031.

Speculation over his future is still rife, though, as the 21-year-old has struggled for consistency under Guardiola and has not been a first-team regular in recent weeks.

Savinho has started only four of his 12 appearances for City this season, while both Bobb and Lewis have also found it difficult to force their way into Guardiola’s lineup, starting just seven games between them across all competitions.

After enduring a frustrating injury-hit 2024-25 season, Bobb has struggled to make his mark when called upon by Guardiola, showing glimpses of his talent but not delivering decisive contributions in the final third, leading to speculation over his long-term future.

Lewis, meanwhile, was once a regular for Guardiola at right-back, but he has now lost his place in the first XI to Matheus Nunes who has gradually improved in his new role on the right side of defence.

Ake exit possible, but Savinho, Bobb, Lewis set to stay in January

McInerney believes that the futures of Savinho, Bobb and Lewis will be reassessed in the summer and a January exit is not on the cards for any of the trio, but Ake could seek pastures new next month in search of first-team football to ensure that he is selected in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman recently revealed that Ake is “bothered” by his lack of minutes at Man City, with the left-sided centre-back starting only five of his 12 appearances in all tournaments.

“I don't see Savinho going. I don't see Oscar Bobb going or Rico Lewis going in January,” McInerney told Sports Mole. “They don't feel like January moves to me. They feel like the ones where you go, ‘let's see how the season goes, then we'll reassess’ and you get a full picture of what your time is.

“I don't think they'll be moving on in January. I think City have learned the lessons from last season and I don't think they're in the business of making their squad significantly weaker, as we get to the busier end of the season where we're going to need more players.

“I think there's a good chance some of these players are going to move on at the end of the season. I actually think most likely exit in January is maybe Nathan Ake.

“I think Ake wants to play at the World Cup, he's barely playing any football and I think Koeman has said if he doesn't play, he's not going to go to the World Cup.

“I think there's signs of frustration around him. I think he might ask for a loan move. I think City might push to bring someone in. That’s the thing, though, I don't know who they’d get in as a result. You could get Vitor Reis back from his loan (at Girona), but he's having such a good season in La Liga that I think it'd be silly for him to sit on the bench (at Man City).

Man City set for “quieter than expected” January window?

Sharing his thoughts on Bobb and Lewis, McInerney added: “I really am a strong believer that a player's life can change in a period of a month in terms of football.

“Oscar Bobb right now looks like he's drifting a little bit, but you might randomly, through injuries (elsewhere in the squad), get four stars in February, score three goals, gets a couple assists, confidence shoots, he's a different player and he starts to the end of the season. Football can change just like that.

“Rico Lewis is a great example of that where no one had heard of him, he was 17 years old, Pep wanted to shake up the squad, he benched Kyle Walker and [Joao] Cancelo every now and then, and Lewis became part of a team that goes on to win a treble. Things can change very quickly, so I don't think we'll see any major departures on that front.

“City are very much in a shuffle right now with players, so there's always a good chance someone could go. I think there's a decent chance someone could come in maybe, because City have shown under (sporting director) Hugo Viana they are not afraid to sign a lot of players in January. They did last year which was a sort of a deviation of City's usual transfer tactics in January, so we could see that.

“But I think it might be a bit quieter than expected. We're not afraid to do it, but I think largely the squad feels quite settled right now and I don't think they'll want to upset the apple cart too much.”

Ake out, Guehi or Reis in at Man City in 2026?

McInerney feels that City would need to bring in a replacement centre-back if they allowed Ake to leave, and although Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi would be an ideal target, the Citizens may have to wait until the summer to battle for his signature.

“Ideally, Guehi would be a good signing, but he's not coming in January,” said McInerney. “I watched him (for Palace in last weekend’s 3-0 loss to Man City), a good player. I’d take him to City in a heartbeat and he's almost a like-for-like replacement (for Ake). Different players, but contextually in position and his stylistic play.

“He'd be a nice signing, but he strikes me as a summer signing as well if anything. I think Vitor Reis will come back on loan and be a centre-back that City use next season. He's doing really well at Girona.

“I think City probably have to (sign a new centre-back if Ake leaves) which probably is a reason why maybe it won't happen. I think City are going to be very reluctant to let experience go in January, but some players might force their hands.

“There's no clear (transfer) options and there's no-one linked to City, players and names do leak at this point, so the fact that it's quiet on that front - anything could happen I guess - but it suggests to me that I don't think there'll be any major changes.”

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