Exclusive: Pep Guardiola to cash in on three Man City academy stars

Exclusive: Pep Guardiola to cash in on three Man City academy stars

Pep Guardiola’s “bloated” Manchester City’s squad looks set to be reduced by the departures of three fringe players, sources have told Football Insider.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have told him about Man City‘s attempts to streamline their squad.

Guardiola left Jack Grealish out of Man City’s Club World Cup squad alongisde several other big-name players, and has publicly stated that his current crop of 30 is too many to be “managable” next season.

Football Insider revealed on 11 July that Grealish, James McAtee and Kalvin Phillips are three first-team names likely to be moved on this summer, but City are also keen to ship out several other fringe players.

Sources have told Football Insider that Issa Kabore, Callum Doyle and Luke Mbete will all be allowed to leave the club permanently or on loan this summer, with just three senior appearances between them.

Each of these appearances were made by Mbete in 2021/22 before loans to Huddersfield, Bolton, Den Bosch and Northampton last season, but he will also be allowed to depart alongside Doyle and Kabore.

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Pep Guardiola’s side had a disappointing 2024–25 season (Credit: Hasan Karim – Breaking Media)

Man City to avoid ‘bloated’ squad by selling academy trio

Football Insider revealed in July 2024 that Man City wanted £15million for Doyle ahead of his move to Norwich City last summer, but the Canaries chose to sign the 21-year-old on a season-long loan instead.

Speaking on the new Inside Track, O’Rourke said that Guardiola doesn’t want Doyle, Kabore and Mbete to make up part of an oversized squad at the Etihad Stadium, with all three players set to be moved on.

“[Pep Guardiola] was obviously quite public that he wanted a more manageable squad at the Etihad”, he told Football Insider.

“He doesn’t want a bloated squad where it’s hard to leave players out, and then he’s got unhappy players sat on the sidelines.

“There are some fringe players that City might be willing to let move on – the likes of Issa Kabore, Luke Mbete and maybe Callum Doyle, who’s already been out on loan a few times.

“Maybe Guardiola will be willing to let those players move on as they’re unlikely to break into his plans next season.”

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Man City’s squad has already undergone plenty of changes since the end of the Premier League season, with £115million spent on Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders prior to the Club World Cup.

An earlier-than-expected exit to Al-Hilal in the last 16 gives Guardiola even more time to reshape his side in pre-season, with the departure of Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker’s move to Burnley already sealed.

Further reductions are in the pipeline with Grealish, McAtee and Phillips all pointed towards the exit door, and Guardiola will hope to have no issue in ensuring Kabore, Mbete and Doyle can also find new clubs.

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