Several Manchester City players are set to be sold this summer following a shock 4-3 defeat to Al-Hilal at the Club World Cup.
Manchester City Suffer Shock Club World Cup Exit To Al-Hilal
Manchester City’s Club World Cup campaign was brought to an abrupt end in the early hours of Tuesday morning, as they suffered a shock 4-3 defeat to Al-Hilal in the round of 16.
City led at the half-time break, with Bernardo Silva opening the scoring after nine minutes.
A flurry of goals back and forth in the second period saw the score level at 2-2 come the full-time whistle before the Saudi Pro League outfit sealed a historic victory in extra-time.
The Cityzens, who were one of two Premier League teams at the Club World Cup, were the favourites to win the tournament and were the only side to win all three group matches.
They now face a short break before returning for pre-season ahead of the Premier League campaign. Al-Hilal, meanwhile, face Brazilian side Fluminense in the quarter-finals.
Pep Guardiola Threatens To Quit Man City If Squad Isn’t Reduced
Following their early exit from the Club World Cup and upon their return to the United Kingdom, it is expected that Pep Guardiola will make wholesale changes to his playing squad.
The Spaniard threatened to quit his managerial role back in May due to the size of City’s squad. The 54-year-old has made it clear he wants to work with a smaller group next season.
He said: “I said to the club I don’t want that [a bigger squad]. I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that, I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.
“It’s impossible for my soul to [tell] my players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play.
“Maybe [for] three, four months we couldn’t select 11 players, we didn’t have defenders, it was so difficult. After, people came back, but next season it cannot be like that.
“As a manager I cannot train 24 players and every time I select I have to have four, five, six stay in Manchester at home because they cannot play. This is not going to happen. I said to the club, I don’t want that.”
With that in mind, we at SportsCasting are taking a look at some of the Manchester City players that could be set to depart the Etihad ahead of next season.
Manchester City Players That Could Be Sold Following Al-Hilal Loss
Ederson
Immediately after the shock defeat to Al-Hilal, City fans have been calling for Ederson to be sold.
The Brazilian stopper made a number of high-profile errors throughout the match – a major factor in the final scoreline – and it took him until the 112th minute to make his first save.
It followed on from a poor performance in their final group game against Juventus.
Ederson has been linked with a move away from the North West for several months. The 31-year-old was even dropped for backup goalkeeper Stefan Ortega back in December.
Having joined from Benfica for a reported £35m in 2017, he is now entering the final year of his contract at the Etihad.
Cityzens chiefs may look to secure a fee for his departure this summer rather than allowing him to leave for free at the end of next season, especially given his underwhelming performances of late. Ederson, however, has insisted that he wants to remain at Manchester City.
Ilkay Gundogan
Another Cityzens star who may soon depart is Ilkay Gundogan.
Like Ederson, the former Germany international has one year remaining on his contract with the club, having rejoined for a second spell in 2024 after spending a year away with Barcelona.
Reports suggest that the 34-year-old is drawing interest from Galatasaray, and City may be open to parting ways with their former treble-winning captain.
It is believed that the ex-Borussia Dortmund star has a desire to play for the Super Lig champions.
With the likes of Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, Mateo Kovacic and Nico Gonzalez among City’s midfield options for next term, Gundogan’s game time could be limited, so a move may suit all parties.
Oscar Bobb
Norwegian youngster Oscar Bobb may also leave the Etihad this summer.
The 21-year-old spent the majority of the season on the sidelines after suffering a broken leg.
He was set to play a prominent role in City’s campaign after impressing Guardiola and his coaching staff throughout pre-season, and was even selected to start in the Community Shield.
Now back to full fitness, the Valeranga youth product netted in the 6-0 win over Al-Ain last week.
Amid the arrival of Rayan Cherki though, he may see his game time limited next term. According to reports, Serie A giants Juventus have added Bobb to their summer shortlist.
Guardiola is clearly a big fan of the Norway international, but with FFP considerations and an over-inflated squad, the club could consider selling the versatile attacker to I Bianconeri.
Bobb has been valued at around £21.5m in the past. With four years remaining on his current deal however, City will likely demand a much higher fee before parting ways with the talent.
Jack Grealish
It has been well documented that Jack Grealish could depart the Etihad this summer.
The England international was omitted from City’s squad for the Club World Cup and has reportedly been drawing interest from a number of clubs throughout Europe and Saudi Arabia.
Napoli are favoured among bookmakers to land the 29-year-old, while Tottenham, Everton, Newcastle and Aston Villa have also been mooted as potential destinations for the winger.
Grealish was limited to just 20 Premier League appearances this term. Like Bobb, his gametime could be limited even further following the arrival of Cherki from Lyon.
He is largely expected to depart before the start of the 2025/26 campaign.
James McAtee
Another who is expected to leave the club this summer is James McAtee.
The 22-year-old, who recently captained England U21 to glory at the U21 European Championship in Slovakia, is being heavily linked with a move to the Bundesliga.
According to reports, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuttgart are all interested in the £25m-rated star.
McAtee spent two years on loan at Sheffield United between 2022 and 2024, and upon his return, he scored seven goals in 27 games under Guardiola in all competitions last term.
He is now considered surplus to requirements though, with City hoping to line up a sale in the coming weeks.
