Ever since his takeover of the Etihad, Pep Guardiola has been visibly keen to revamp the atmosphere. It was affirmed that the former Catalan and Bayern Munich manager would bring a lot of changes as part of his strategy and he followed suit by bringing in some new faces, including the likes of Sane, Gündogan, Jesus, and Bravo to name a few. The defeat against Monaco in the Champions League hasn’t been taken well by the Spaniard, and after an indifferent season, he might be looking to eliminate some faces from his squad.
Sergio Aguero, who was once linked with a move away from Etihad, is likely to stay after his powerful display of talent. He was benched after Jesus’ arrival, but the Brazilian broke a metatarsal and provided room for the Argentinean to cement his place in the playing-11 once again. Well, he isn’t the only one on the radar, but many Man City stars are likely to be released at the end of this season.
According to reports, Pep Guardiola will receive a budget of around €150 million to spend in the summer to fill the talent void. Now the question is: who is likely to be released? Well, the list includes 15 players yet to receive a contract extension plus the ones out on a loan.
Willy Caballero is likely to be retained by Pep as he has proved his ability after Bravo’s messy performance. The defense has always been an issue for Man City, and the veterans – Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy – along with Pablo Zabaleta will be released to make way for young guns. Though the lucrative acquisition of John Stones hasn’t proved worthy, Pep is a staunch supporter of the Englishman’s ability. In the midfield, Yaya Toure, who has never been Pep’s first choice, will search for a new challenge. Similarly, Jesus Navas is likely to return to La Liga.
The out-of-favor Fabian Delph, Fernando, and Kelechi Iheanacho also have an unsure future but will they be sold this summer is tough to predict. The Captain Fantastic, Vincent Kompany, has an injury-blighted campaign and is likely to leave this summer as Pep has options to believe in.
Those out on loan include Joe Hart, who will surely return to the Premier League next season but in a different outfit. Samir Nasri and Eliaquim Mangala are enjoying their time in La Liga, whereas Wilfried Bony is still struggling with Stoke. Pep has been quite vocal about Joe Hart’s dismissal and has clearly expressed his emotions. Who among these players will win Pep Guardiola’s confidence is still a mystery.
With budget in hand, players heading towards the exit door and scouts searching for exciting talents, it’s clear that this summer will be a busy season at Etihad.
I would love to see Joe Hart back in the side along with Nasri but Pep is a great manager, I think he has a strong plan to pursue.