Pep already has options in case some players leave.

Manchester City has finally become the best club in Europe: they won the Champions League for the first time in history. But changes are still expected for the team. Let's see how the squad may change for the new season.

Players whose contracts are expiring

Two players from City will become free agents in three weeks. The first one is Ilkay Gundogan. This may be the central question the club's bosses must address shortly. If we believe Pep Guardiola, the sporting director, is already working on extending the contract. However, time is passing, and there still needs to be official information. It may appear after the Champions League final.

What other options does Gundogan have? The authoritative French publication L'Equipe reports that the German midfielder is on the transfer target list of PSG. But there have yet to be any specific details. The option with Barcelona is much more enjoyable. In May, Mundo Deportivo wrote that Gundogan had already agreed to a contract with the Catalan club. Later, there was information about Gundogan rejecting a new offer from City. And then, it was reported that Xavi convinced the Germans to move to Spain.

The second player with an expiring contract is defender, Benjamin Mendy. He did not play a single match this season because he had to deal with more severe issues than competition with teammates. He was accused of rape, but in January of this year, he was acquitted on seven counts. Mendy's departure cannot be considered a loss since ManCity performed excellently without him this season.

Who else can leave?

It's unclear what awaits João Cancelo. The Portuguese player spent the second half of the season on loan at Bayern Munich (21 matches, one goal, six assists). In mid-May, there were reports that the head coach of the Munich club, Thomas Tuchel, was unhappy with the defender's performance. The German team declined to exercise the option to buy the player's rights, and he will return to Manchester City.

According to the British press, Cancelo is separate from Guardiola's plans. One option for the Portuguese player is Barcelona. Barcelona's coach, Xavi, has mentioned that the club tried to loan the player in the winter, but the deal fell through at the last moment. Now the Blaugrana are again interested in the full-back. However, they face serious competition. Arsenal is ready to buy Cancelo. Barcelona is considering a loan option, so the offer from the London club might be more appealing to City.

Another contender for departure is Aymeric Laporte. He lost his place in the starting lineup (only 12 Premier League matches) and is considering a move to Spain. According to Mundo Deportivo, the defender is willing to take a pay cut for this opportunity. Laporte dreams of playing for Barcelona, but representatives from PSG are also monitoring him. The bosses of the French club are looking for a new center-back, and Laporte is on their shortlist.

Who can come?

Manchester City has already agreed on contract terms with Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic (information from insider Fabrizio Romano).

The Croatian player is ready to change clubs, especially considering Chelsea's unsuccessful season. Now the clubs need to resolve the issue of compensation fees. Romano claims the parties will discuss this matter after the Champions League final. Guardiola is interested in Kovacic's transfer, and the player is excited about the chance to work with the Spanish coach.

In addition, Manchester City is interested in RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.

This indirectly confirms Laporte's imminent departure. There has a release clause (€115 million) in Gvardiol's. However, the German club may be willing to sell him at a lower price. Having a surname like Guardiola is undoubtedly a sign of working with Guardiola!

Will they sign a new contract with Haaland?

The Norwegian superstar striker has quickly adapted to the Premier League and has scored plenty of goals. All top clubs are monitoring his scoring exploits, and the City bosses are already concerned that Haaland may not stay at the Etihad for as long as they would like. They intend to extend the forward's contract to prevent other teams from luring him away. City hopes that the treble will help convince the player to stay. Haaland's current contract expires in 2027.

11.06.2023