12 Manchester City players could leave the Etihad Stadium in major summer clear-out | OneFootball

Hugo Viana and Manchester City could be eyeing up a further overhaul of their playing options despite the heavy alterations made across the course of 2025 and into 2026.

With contractual situations coming into play through deals expiring at the end of the ongoing season, players simply being out of favour under Pep Guardiola, and others entering into the final 12 months of their existing deals, there is certainly work to do at the club.

That feeling comes despite wholesale changes made during January 2025, the summer transfer window that followed, and the recent winter market that also saw Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo come into the club midway through the ongoing season.

Among the other names to walk through the door at the club has been Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, and Omar Marmoush around one year ago, as well as the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rayan Cherki, and Tijjani Reijnders last summer.

But with an early exit from the Champions League and a clear ambition to regain dominance of English football, further strengthening themselves against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and other potential competitors next season, there could be major change on the horizon.

Here are the 12 Manchester City players City Xtra believe could be on their way out of the Etihad Stadium during the upcoming summer transfer window!

James Trafford

Having re-joined Manchester City only last summer in a reported £31 million deal from Burnley, James Trafford’s ambitions were clearly focussed on becoming the club’s established No.1 choice between the posts.

But having been very quickly replaced in that early role by Gianluigi Donnarumma, the England international has been restricted largely to domestic cup appearances – where he has performed to an exceptionally high standard.

As such, it remains to be seen whether Trafford would be content in his back-up role for another campaign, or whether the allure of consistent top-level football for perhaps a direct rival could prove too tempting.

Manuel Akanji

Currently on-loan at Inter in Serie A and proving to be a consistently high performer for the Italian giants, it is highly unlikely that either Manuel Akanji himself or Manchester City would want a return into the first-team set-up next summer.

The Milan-based club hold a £15 million buy-option on the Switzerland international, and with the player publicly admitting his delight at life in Italy, the expectation is that Manuel Akanji will remain with Inter on a permanent basis come the summer.

Nathan Ake

Entering into the final 12 months of his contract in the summer, Manchester City could take up the opportunity to cash in on an exceptional servant for the club over the last six years, with the Dutchman himself also likely to eye more consistent game time.

Rico Lewis

Manchester City stood firm on their stance of wanting to retain Rico Lewis amid big-money interest from Nottingham Forest last summer, rejecting an approach believed to be in the region of £30 million.

However, the academy graduate has been on the fringes of the first-team set-up, shut out by Matheus Nunes in the right-back position and struggling to establish himself as a dependable midfield option under Pep Guardiola this season.

Rico Lewis will undoubtedly back himself to continue to push for a place, and he remains a favourite of Guardiola, but could a move away for more consistent opportunities prove too tempting the second summer in a row?

John Stones

A long-standing servant of the club and a transformational figure in defence and midfield, but with his contract expiring at the end of the ongoing season and younger, more reliable options emerging, it seems like a natural breakpoint for all parties.

Jack Grealish

A similar position to the likes of Manuel Akanji and John Stones, Jack Grealish finds himself needing a strong starting place at the tail-end of his senior professional playing career, having secured unprecedented success at the Etihad Stadium.

For Grealish, it is simply about enjoying his football again, establishing himself as the creative outlet for a team and perhaps being the centre of that attacking output for a side with less expectations.

For the Englishman, he will have his pick of clubs when the summer transfer window comes back around, with Everton likely to re-emerge as a candidate for his signature on a permanent basis and perhaps at a cut-price fee as he enters into his final 12 months of contract.

Mateo Kovacic

Injuries have hampered the Croatian’s last 12 months or so at Manchester City, and after two successive surgeries on an achilles problem, Mateo Kovacic will still be hoping to play a role in the business end of the club’s season.

But with Hugo Viana overseeing a refresh of central midfield and injecting fresh legs and life into that area of the pitch, targeting the likes of Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Nico O’Reilly’s emergence could see Kovacic pushed out of the door.

Kalvin Phillips

Kalvin Phillips needs stability, and consistent game time. Both of those will only come through a permanent exit from Manchester City to rebuild his career for the final years of his top-level journey. Hugo Viana and the wider decision makers could look to terminating his agreement.

Bernardo Silva

Perhaps the toughest player to have to say farewell to is the Portuguese international, with his contract expiring at the end of the season and already hinting at the idea of leaving the club with a decision made behind-the-scenes in his own private life.

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City would no doubt like to retain him for another 12 months owing to his experience and understanding of the club’s philosophy, but Bernardo Silva himself has long aimed for new experiences on the continent.

Josh Wilson-Esbrand, Claudio Echeverri, Sverre Nypan

Three names that remain on Manchester City’s first-team squad list, but all on the fringes of the set-up and likely to be in the conversation for varying formats of exits from the Etihad Stadium in the summer.

Josh Wilson-Esbrand will likely be pushed towards a permanent exit, whilst developmental loan deals for Claudio Echeverri and Sverre Nypan – perhaps into the City Football Group – will be considered.