Manchester City prepare for measured moves in current transfer window | OneFootball

Manchester City Transfer Window Outlook

Squad breathing space

Manchester City’s players are currently enjoying four rare weeks away from the training ground, a respite earned after their early Club World Cup exit. It feels calm around the Etihad Campus, yet beneath the surface sporting director Txiki Begiristain and his recruitment team are methodically re‑shaping the champions for the next assault on domestic and European honours. Relinquishing Kyle Walker to Burnley created immediate noise but also opened strategic possibilities. In a summer when several Premier League rivals prepare for major overhauls, City are intent on precise surgery, not wholesale change, in this Transfer Window.

McAtee valuation puzzle

With Walker departed, attention has switched to James McAtee, the 22‑year‑old academy graduate whose graceful touch and willingness to carry the ball between lines has long marked him out as one to watch. He returned from Sheffield United with more Premier League minutes than Cole Palmer possessed before his own move, and that comparison is driving negotiations. Some suitors believe Manchester City could talk at around £25 million, yet the hierarchy remember accepting £40 million for Palmer, a figure that now looks “a bargain” given his progress at Chelsea. Eintracht Frankfurt have tracked McAtee since January and view him as a central creator, while Nottingham Forest see him operating as an eight or ten, complementing Morgan Gibbs‑White should the latter remain rather than head to Spurs. No official bids have landed, however, and City will not rush. The ultimate fee may hinge on whether an English contender presents an offer, because selling to a direct rival carries its own premium.

Photo: IMAGO

Gundogan crossroads

Across the dressing room Ilkay Gundogan is weighing options. The former Germany international, integral to City’s treble in 2023, “wants to stay at the top level, provided he still has a promising role to play”. Barcelona, where he signed in 2024, continue to value his metronomic passing, yet childhood club Galatasaray monitor developments carefully and would welcome him home if circumstances shift. Pep Guardiola appreciates Gundogan’s leadership and tactical intelligence, but the manager also seeks a trimmed squad and recognises that difficult conversations await respected veterans.

Right back question mark

Recruitment focus remains on a recognised right back, the only glaring positional gap. Rico Lewis excels in possession and Matheus Nunes offers emergency cover, yet neither has locked down the berth. City scouts admire several profiles across Europe, but progress is slow and patience is advised.

Potential departures under review

Numbers must fall for Guardiola’s preferred smaller group. John Stones, Nico O’Reilly, Mateo Kovacic, Gundogan, Claudio Echeverri and Oscar Bobb have all been mentioned in boardroom discussions about loan or permanent exits. Bobb, who dazzled last pre‑season before injury wiped out his campaign, is viewed internally as one for the future and is “very unlikely to be leaving the Etihad this summer”. As ever, nothing is final until the market moves in earnest, yet Manchester City appear set to manage this Transfer Window with typical poise, balancing financial prudence with the need to refresh a squad still capable of claiming every trophy in sight.