Why Pep Guardiola has refused to sanction January exit for Manchester City outcast | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola is hesitant to sign off on the permanent departure of one Manchester City first-team star in what remains of the January window, as per a new report.

Guardiola has bolstered his depleted, injury-riddled ranks with the acquisitions of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi this month for a combined transfer fee of £84 million, with the pair penning five-and-a-half year deals at the Etihad Stadium.

City are in miserable form and in the backdrop of consecutive defeats to Manchester United and Bodo/Glimt in the last week, the Blues have won just twice in their last seven games in all competitions and remain winless in the Premier League in 2026.

Outgoings are expected to dominate the transfer agenda at the Etihad Stadium in the final weeks of the January transfer window, with Fulham expected to make a formal £30 million offer for Oscar Bobb, who will be allowed to leave Manchester City for the right offer this month.

Stefan Ortega Moreno is also free to leave the club in the next few weeks, having decided to stay put at the Etihad Stadium and begin the 2025-26 season as Guardiola’s fourth-choice goalkeeper following a major revamp of the goalkeeping department last summer.

Kalvin Phillips is also looking for a loan club to revitalise his career following a dreadful time at Manchester City since his arrival from Leeds United in 2022, though the Blues are yet to receive formal offers for the out-of-favour midfielder.

Savinho and Omar Marmoush were also subject to interest from Tottenham heading into January but Manchester City remain keen on holding onto the attacking pair, who remain part of Guardiola’s plans and are expected to play a part in the remainder of City’s season.

As reported by Mail Sport’s Jack Guaghan, James Trafford is looking for more game time but Guardiola has privately intimated to club officials that he wants the 23-year-old in his ranks for cup competitions.

Guardiola considers Trafford part of his plans for the time being, though the Manchester City academy graduate has not played a single minute in the Premier League since Gianluigi Donnarumma’s deadline day transfer to the Etihad Stadium last summer.

Trafford was brought back to City from Burnley in July 2025 by director of football Hugo Viana to challenge for the number one goalkeeping position, as then first-choice shotstopper Ederson remained keen on a permanent move away from England.

Ederson was allowed to join Fenerbahce on deadline day and Manchester City subsequently put the Donnarumma wheels in motion, securing the arrival of the 26-year-old for an eye-watering fee of £26 million to bolster their prospects between the sticks.

While Trafford is expected to stay put past January, a decision on the Englishman’s future at the Etihad Stadium will be taken in the summer, with City officials expected to listen to offers should he then decide to move on for regular first-team football.