Man City squad audit as next transfer moves predicted for Pep Guardiola

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Manchester City were active in the first weeks of the June transfer window, spending £111million on signing four new players ahead of the Club World Cup.

Marcus Bettinelli came in to replace Scott Carson as third-choice goalkeeper, but Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki all come in to boost the first-team squad.

That has left Pep Guardiola with a bloated squad and some difficult decisions ahead as he tries to tim the numbers.

But there are also spots in the squad that need strengthening. This is how the current squad is shaping up and the likely next moves for Guardiola and director of football Hugo Viana.

Goalkeeper

Six months ago, this looked like being a summer of change in goal, but that has changed. Ederson and Stefan Ortega are set to stay, meaning Bettinelli replacing Carson is the only major change.

The clock is ticking, however, and it’s clear money will need to be spent on a goalkeeper or two. That might wait until next summer now.

Ederson turns 32 in August and has flirted with leaving the club in recent summers, while Ortega is 33 in November and didn’t make a strong enough case last season to replace the Brazilian.

City could find themselves needing a new No. 1 and No. 2 goalkeeper next summer, so Viana needs to be on top of that market.

Defence

This is the summer City finally signed a left-back, but as one problem position was solved, another might have appeared.

Ait-Nouri looks an excellent buy and made a good start to his City career at the Club World Cup. He is the long-term solution that fans have been crying out for at left-back.

But there is now a hole to fill on the right. Kyle Walker’s spell at the club ended with his move to Burnley and that leaves Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis as the options. Nunes is a converted midfielder and has had difficult games in the position.

In the long term, City probably need to sign another right-back, and they have shown an interest in Newcastle’s Tino Livramento. That deal looks difficult to pull off this summer, and it might be revisited in 2026.

City are overstocked at centre-back now. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are the first-choice pairing, but Guardiola also has John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Abduokodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis.

Brazilian teenager Reis could head out on loan, but there is also a chance one of Stones, Ake and Akanji is sold if any interest in them emerges.

Midfield

It’s the end of an era in midfield with Kevin De Bruyne leaving the club and there is plenty of change in the middle of the pitch.

Rodri’s return to fitness is a huge boost but the pace of transformation is best summed up by Nico Gonzalez, a £50million signing from Porto in January who now can’t get in the team.

Tijjani Reijnders looks an excellent partner for Rodri and Bernardo Silva has been promoted to club captain. Ilkay Gundogan’s future is in doubt but he played well at the Club World Cup.

Then there is Mateo Kovacic, currently injured and only due back in August. He is unlikely to depart and remains a valued squad player, but only adds to the competition in central areas.

Phil Foden also showed signs of getting back to his best in America and he could yet emerge as De Bruyne’s replacement. Rayan Cherki is an exciting summer addition and the 21-year-old brings plenty of creativity to the team. He can play as an attacking midfield or out wide.

There will be sales here. Kalvin Phllips, Jack Grealish and James McAtee can all leave the Etihad this summer and will do so. City will want permanent deals for all three of them but might yet have to settle for a loan for Grealish.

The squad is also too big for Champions League rules and it means a couple of foreign players have to go. Claudio Echeverri could go out on loan but it would make sense to sell one of Gonzalez or Gundogan, given the competition for places.

Forwards

Out wide, Jeremy Doku and Savinho are the only really natural wingers in this squad. They are both exciting dribblers and can make something happen out of nothing, but also need to perform more consistently.

Silva, Foden and Cherki can all play out wide as well but they interpret the role differently to Doku and Savinho, so there could be horses for courses selections in some games.

Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush are excellent options at the tip of the team. Marmoush made a good impression after signing in January and the challenge will be keeping him involved and happy if Haaland goes through the season without any fitness issues.

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