The hegemony of Manchester City on English football seems to be crumbling this season. Less sovereign, less dominating, the men of Pep Guardiola perform a disappointing exercise in view of their usual standards, with the FA Cup as a very skinny consolation potential compared to initial ambitions. Faced with this observation, the Catalan manager does not intend to remain his arms crossed.
A real revolution is preparing for Etihad for next summer, aimed at regenerating the workforce and relaunching a new cycle. After a few adjustments in January, the large summer household will require making room, and this will inevitably go through the departure of emblematic figures of the club. Three names, and not least, would be on the hot seat.
De Bruyne no longer has its place in Manchester City.
According to information from Sky Sports, the three major players whose future in City is written in dotted lines are İlkay Gündoğan, Jack Grenish and, even more surprising, Kevin de Bruyne. If the German midfielder would retain a little chance of staying, the future of Grealish and especially De Bruyne would already seem sealed, despite the recent public statements of Guardiola who claimed to hope for an extension for his two players to play Gündoğan and Bruyne. A double discourse that questions and feeds rumors of imminent departures for these pillars of recent successes.
Make way for young people? The end of an era in Manchester City
For the Belgian, a veritable legend of the club and player the most formerly present in the current workforce, a departure would symbolically mark the end of a golden era. This wave of departures announced clearly aims to make room for a new generation and new recruits. Names like Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) or Hugo Larsson (Eintracht Frankfurt) are already mentioned to strengthen the midfield of the Citizens. For the starters, notably Bruyne, the lucrative sirens of the “exotic” championships are heard, with insistent rumors sending him to Saudi Arabia.
If these three departures are confirmed this summer, Manchester City will undoubtedly turn a major page in its recent history. Seeing the team evolve without these familiar faces will be strange, but this revolution, orchestrated by a Guardiola wishing to relaunch the machine to win, appears for many as a necessary step. The summer transfer window will deliver the final verdict on the extent of this great upset.
