Manchester City have a small squad but will not keep around players that are not part of Pep Guardiola’s first-team plans
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Joao Cancelo of Manchester City (Image: Man City)
At least three players are expected to leave Manchester City this week as Pep Guardiola’s squad for the Treble defence is finalised.
The club are chasing another midfielder in the final days of the transfer window, with Wolves star Matheus Nunes the main target after missing out on a number of other players this summer, after Jeremy Doku signed last week in a £55.5m deal to help cover for the sale of Riyad Mahrez. However, the Blues are set to have another small squad – a principle Guardiola prefers – with anyone not in his plans for the year moved on either on loan or permanently.
Joao Cancelo will be the most high-profile departure. The full-back was one of the manager’s most important players as recently as two seasons ago but fell spectacularly out of favour to the point where City shipped him on loan to Bayern Munich in January and didn’t replace him.
Having won the Treble without him, there has been no real consideration to reintegrating Cancelo and his move to Barcelona should be completed this week. However, given the finances of the La Liga giants that move is likely to be a loan rather than a permanent sale for a player with a whopping four years left on his deal at the Etihad.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle are also expected to move after playing no part in City’s plans since they returned from impressive loan spells at Burnley and Sheffield United respectively. Harwood-Bellis has had interest from a number of clubs including Nottingham Forest and Leeds, although nobody has moved yet on a reasonable asking price of £15m; Doyle too is left waiting for a move, with Wolves a potential destination that would offer him Premier League football.
Talk of Cole Palmer leaving this summer has dwindled in recent weeks but City’s purchase of Nunes, or a similar signing, could spark further departures. While the club have continued to discourage interest in midfielder James McAtee, he has played next-to-no minutes in their opening five minutes and the arrival of more competition for a place would make a move more tempting for all sides; Sheffield United remain keen on a loan, while Ajax could be a surprise option if they cement their longstanding interest.
More midfield competition would also pose a major question for Kalvin Phillips. The former Leeds midfielder has insisted he wants to fight for his place at the club this season and an exit at this stage remains unlikely, although no game time this season even before another new signing could come in does not give any encouragement that he will have a bigger role.
