Manchester City to save eye-watering eight-figure sum annually following quartet of player transfers | OneFootball

A staggering eight-figure sum will be saved by Manchester City through the sale of four first-team stars alone during the recent summer transfer window, it has been revealed.

The latest development continues on from what has been a summer of sweeping change at the Etihad Stadium, both on and off the pitch, having not only focused on strengthening Pep Guardiola’s squad but also on trimming back overall numbers.

High-profile departures have been central to that process, marking a turning point as the club reshapes its financial strategy for the years ahead, with the likes of Ederson, Ilkay Gundogan, and Manuel Akanji leaving within the space of 24 hours on transfer deadline day.

Gundogan secured a free transfer to Galatasaray, Ederson started a new career with Fenerbahce, and Jack Grealish’s long-anticipated move away from Manchester – by joining Everton – have all underlined the club’s willingness to refresh its squad core.

The most seismic exit, however, came in the form of Kevin De Bruyne prior to the start of the window, who ended a glittering spell at the Etihad Stadium that brought multiple Premier League titles and a Champions League crown, with club officials opting not to offer a new contract to the 34-year-old.

City’s financial restructuring has been guided closely by new sporting director Hugo Viana, who has been tasked with ensuring the club balances elite recruitment with sustainability. Earlier reports had highlighted that Viana was already pushing for a strategy of reinvestment into contract renewals for key emerging players, such as Oscar Bobb and Rico Lewis, while also considering future transfer market manoeuvres.

Now, according to the information of ‘Purple Panel‘ on X, Manchester City are set to save over £40 million annually in wage commitments following the exits of Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Ederson, and Ilkay Gundogan during the summer transfer window.

It is further explained that sporting director Hugo Viana is driving a strategic plan to ‘redirect savings into contract extensions’, while also reshaping the Manchester City squad for the ‘next phase of dominance’.

With over £40 million freed from the wage bill, the expectation is that City will channel resources into securing the long-term futures of their next generation of stars, while also keeping funds available for high-value reinforcements should opportunities arise in future.

Hugo Viana’s track record in previous roles suggests he favours bold yet calculated investments, and the coming transfer windows may provide the perfect stage to test that philosophy in Manchester.

Equally, the wage savings open up possibilities for City to pivot towards more aggressive pursuits in the market, with a new right-back still required following the summer window, and perhaps reinforcement in midfield and attack further down the line.

Meanwhile, the structure of the squad is set to be continually assessed, with the futures of players such as Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes likely to be revisited depending on form and fitness across the season.