Transfers

Current state of play: What we know so far about the 12 Manchester City players linked with summer transfers

Published:

11:28

July 10th 2023

| Last Updated:

11:38

July 10th 2023

Harry Winters

We are almost one month into the 2023 summer transfer window with Manchester City set to return for pre-season in the coming days, however unusually, the futures of 12 players remain uncertain.

Pep Guardiola’s side have been mooted to return to pre-season training on Sunday 16th July ahead of an upcoming tour of East Asia, where Manchester City are due to play friendlies in Japan and South Korea.

The treble winners will face Yokohama F. Marinos, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid as part of preparations for the new campaign, with summer signing Mateo Kovacic expected to be with the squad after signing from Chelsea for £25 million.

RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol remains subject to intense interest from Etihad officials, with active negotiations ongoing with the Bundesliga club to try and complete a deal for the 21 year-old prior to the upcoming pre-season tour.

However, which current members of Manchester City’s squad will be on the pre-season trip is also currently unknown, with 12 players linked with exits from the club, including Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez.

Club captain Ilkay Gundogan has already departed the Etihad Stadium after choosing not to sign a new deal, while it remains to be seen whether Manchester City will sanction the sale of any further senior first-team players, having already seen the German international leave.

With the potential for the transfer rumour mill to increase imminently, this is everything we know so far about the 12 players linked with an exit from the club this summer.

Kyle Walker

The future of the England international is still very much up in air.

The 33 year-old had been heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich last month and despite the Bundesliga giants still holding a strong interest in the right-back, Manchester City remain hopeful of keeping Walker at the Etihad Stadium and agreeing a new contract, with the defender’s current deal due to expire next summer.

This is a situation that very much remains in the balance.

Bernardo Silva

It wouldn’t be a Manchester City summer without Bernardo Silva being linked with an exit from the Etihad Stadium, and although Pep Guardiola hopes to keep the midfielder for another year, both Paris Saint-Germain and Saudi Arabia are widely claimed to be eyeing up a move for the Portugal international.

The French giants have reignited their interest after having a bid rejected last summer, while a huge contract offer from the Saudi Pro League is reportedly also on the table for the 28 year-old.

Manchester City could yet however agree a new deal with Bernardo Silva, while Barcelona have not renewed their previous interest in the midfielder, largely due to the ongoing financial constraints on the La Liga champions.

Riyad Mahrez

The Algeria international is another City player that is understood to have been offered a lucrative contract by Saudi Arabia, although there has been some suggestions that the forward has found a ‘provisional salary agreement’ with PIF worth close to €25 million a year.

The 32 year-old played down talk of an exit from the Etihad Stadium earlier this summer, and Manchester City would command a fee to sanction a transfer, with Mahrez currently contracted until 2025.

Aymeric Laporte

After making just 20 starts last season and given the Blues’ ongoing pursuit of Josko Gvardiol, it looks increasingly likely that Aymeric Laporte will leave this summer, despite a seeming lack of known interest in the centre-back.

The 29 year-old has reportedly turned down an approach from Tottenham, while Aston Villa were mooted as a possible destination prior to their signing of Pau Torres. The defender’s price tag is further claimed to have forced Juventus to cool their interest in the Spain international.

Joao Cancelo

After a dramatic exit in January to Bayern Munich on loan for the remainder of the season, Joao Cancelo could be in attendance at pre-season next week after the Bavarian club chose not to exercise the option to make the full-back’s move to Germany permanent.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have been linked with the Portuguese star, as well as Barcelona, although interest from either club is yet to materialise into anything concrete.

Follow City Xtra on Threads here: threads.net/@city_xtra

Kalvin Phillips

The England international vowed to remain at Manchester City next season following the treble triumph, and after the Sky Blues failed to land the signing of Declan Rice, one expects Kalvin Phillips to stay, despite continued interest from the likes of Newcastle United, West Ham and Aston Villa.

Cole Palmer

The newly-crowned under-21 European Championship winner is set to leave on a season-long loan, with Brighton currently understood to be in pole position, despite widespread interest from the Bundesliga.

Julian Alvarez

The Argentine is expected to remain at the Etihad Stadium despite Bayern Munich’s rumoured interest, as they look to sign a new centre-forward and seek alternatives to Harry Kane.

While talk may continue regarding Alvarez, do not expect the striker to be anywhere but the Etihad Stadium next summer.

James McAtee

James McAtee could stay with the Manchester City first-team for the new campaign, although Sheffield United would still like to re-sign the midfielder after an impressive campaign at Bramall Lane last season.

Tommy Doyle

Tommy Doyle, who was also at Sheffield United last season, could return to the Yorkshire club either on a permanent deal or on loan.

However, Premier League rules prevent teams from having more than one player from a club on loan, meaning the Blades could be forced to choose between Doyle or McAtee, with the former being the most likely at this present moment.

Zack Steffen

The USMNT international goalkeeper enjoyed a stellar season at Middlesbrough in their push for promotion, although the Championship club are unlikely to sign Zack Steffen permanently due to his price tag.

Another loan move could be on the cards, however Enzo Maresca’s Leicester City reportedly hold a strong interest, as well some German clubs.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

The Englishman spent last season on-loan at Vincent Kompany’s Burnley and has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs after yet another impressive campaign.

Kompany is interested in bringing the 21 year-old back to Turf Moor, meanwhile Newcastle, Fulham and West Ham have all been linked with the defender.