Manchester City midfielder stalls on new contract as Serie A and Championship clubs circle | OneFootball

A number of Italian and English clubs are showing interest in Manchester City’s Charlie Gray, with the teenager stalling on committing his future to the Etihad Stadium.

City sanctioned a series of loans for promising young talents last summer and in the January transfer window, with Max Alleyne recalled midway through a season-long stint at Watford in the wake of a personnel crisis in defence.

The Blues also ended Claudio Echeverri’s loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen after a disappointing six months for the 20-year-old Argentine in Germany, with the playmaker now playing alongside fellow Manchester City loanee Vitor Reis for Girona in Spain.

Hugo Viana has made sweeping changes to Pep Guardiola’s first-team ranks since his appointment as director of football last summer, fuelling the Catalan’s charge for silverware this season with the further acquisitions of Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo from Crystal Palace and Bournemouth respectively in January.

City made a slow start to 2026 and seemed to fall off the edge of the title race cliff after throwing away leads against Chelsea, Brighton and Tottenham, giving Premier League leaders Arsenal the perfect chance to establish a comfortable advantage at the top of the tree.

However, the Gunners have been far from convincing themselves and have allowed Manchester City to claw their way back into the conversation of what will be a fifth league title in six seasons for Guardiola and co – should they overturn what is currently a four point deficit to the north Londoners.

Manchester City have won their last four games in all competitions and have avoided defeat in their last seven outings as the tide continues to turn at the Etihad Stadium, fuelled by a late, thrilling comeback win over Liverpool at Anfield a few weeks ago.

A Carabao Cup final meeting with Arsenal at Wembley on March 22 presents a chance for City to put further pressure on their title rivals ahead of a monumental title race decider clash between the pair at the Etihad Stadium in April.

According to the information of journalist Alan Nixon, Manchester City are making one last attempt to keep highly-rated academy midfielder Charlie Gray, who can leave the club at the end of his existing contract in the summer.

It is claimed that the teenager has so far stalled on committing his future to the Etihad Stadium as he is keen to go and play senior club football, finding himself on the wish list of Italian clubs such as Bologna and Lazio.

The 19-year-old is also said to have Championship interest, with Manchester City expected to have a busy summer transfer window that will witness several outgoings and incomings. Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Nathan Ake could all leave ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

City are also set to make a decision on the future of James Trafford at the end of the season amid the 23-year-old Englishman’s frustrations over a lack of minutes since the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma, having divided the club’s fanbase with an outspoken verdict on his situation at his boyhood club after Saturday’s 2-0 FA Cup fourth round win over Salford City.