Nine Players Who Could Leave Man City Alongside Pep Guardiola

It’s the end of an era for Manchester City as their extraordinary 10-year spell under Pep Guardiola comes to an emotional conclusion.

After nearly 600 matches at the helm, the legendary Spaniard leaves with an unparalleled legacy and 20 pieces of silverware in his back pocket. For Man City, they leap back into the relative unknown, with Enzo Maresca seemingly nailed to replace Guardiola moving forward.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager is not the only notable departee, though, with iconic figures John Stones and Bernardo Silva also leaving after exceptional stints at the Etihad Stadium.

Could there be a mass exodus this summer off the back of Guardiola’s departure? Here are some players that might follow him out of the exit door.

Goalkeepers

Despite only arriving last summer, James Trafford could already be on the move. The City academy graduate returned to the Etihad after an impressive period at Burnley to take on the challenge of succeeding Ederson following a fairytale reunion. Things quickly went awry.

The opportunistic signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma suddenly saw Trafford demoted from first-choice to backup, leaving him restricted to appearances in the domestic cup competitions—both of which he won while guarding the net.

However, with ambitions of usurping Jordan Pickford as England’s No. 1, Trafford may be forced to make another move in search of more regular game time. The 23-year-old is a fine goalkeeper, but he won’t be displacing Donnarumma anytime soon.

Defenders

Nathan Aké’s injury issues make him unreliable. | Marc Atkins/Getty Images

The departure of Stones means City will already be losing an influential presence at the back this summer, but the England international could be joined by several defensive teammates.

City find themselves incredibly well-stocked at center back, with winter recruit Marc Guéhi joining the likes of Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol and Abdukodir Khusanov in an impressive rearguard. That could leave the door open for Nathan Aké to depart. The injury-prone Dutchman’s influence has undoubtedly waned in recent seasons amid his fitness issues.

With Aké’s contract expiring at the end of the 2027, cashing in on him now could be the wisest decision for City.

Manuel Akanji will definitely be on his way this summer having triggered the obligation in his loan contract with Inter after winning Serie A, but the future is less certain for Rico Lewis.

The versatile youngster looked set to play an enormous part in City’s future under Guardiola, capable of covering at right back or in central midfield, but he was more or less ignored by his manager in 2025–26. Lewis, who signed a five-year contract extension last summer, made just three Premier League starts.

Maresca will have to make a decision on whether he views Lewis as part of his long-term plans, but the future looks ominous for the talented 21-year-old.

Midfielders

City certainly won’t want to lose Rodri this summer, but the decision could be out of their hands. The Ballon d’Or winner is reportedly eager to join Real Madrid and could push for a move back to Spain, even if Los Blancos’ interest in the holding midfielder has cooled over the past year.

Rodri would prove a difficult man to replace, something City have found out the hard way amid a string of unfortunate injuries, and they will hope Maresca can convince him to stay at the Etihad for at least a little longer.

Somebody City would be less crushed to see depart is Mateo Kovačić. While undoubtedly a fine player on his day, the Croatia international missed almost the entirety of the season through injury, and seems an easy sell considering his contract expires in 2027 and he turns 33 next May.

Kalvin Phillips will finally secure his permanent City exit as a nightmarish spell comes to a close, further cutting the club’s wage bill.

City will need to invest in their engine room if the trio leave, with Rodri’s departure particularly influential. Enzo Fernández, who starred under Maresca at Chelsea, could be a possible solution to a midfield that would find itself light on numbers.

Forwards

Savinho has fallen down the pecking order. | Marc Atkins/Getty Images

A fearsome forward quartet of Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki seems City’s most likely setup under Maresca. That attacking unit certainly served Guardiola well toward the end of his dazzling reign. However, their presence leaves some top talents on the bench.

Omar Marmoush, who was only signed 18 months ago, could decide he’s had enough of being Haaland’s understudy, and there have already been links with a summer exit. The Egyptian is worthy of greater involvement at another giant having shown regular glimpses of his talent in Manchester.

Another who deserves more minutes is Savinho, who came close to leaving City last summer. The Brazilian only extended his stay with the club back in October, but Maresca’s arrival means there’s an element of uncertainty surrounding his future. The winger is immensely talented, but his recent omission from the Brazil World Cup squad highlights the need for greater involvement.

Jack Grealish appears to have run his course at the Etihad and will likely move on this summer. An impressive loan spell with Everton was cruelly cut short by injury in January, and the Englishman seems unlikely to wrestle his way back into contention in Manchester considering the competition for places.

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