Manchester City star tipped for January exit with Borussia Dortmund named | OneFootball

Transfer business for those at Manchester City is rarely about addition alone, and perhaps more about consequence of other activity elsewhere in the squad.

In the last few days, the British press has grown increasingly confident in City closing in on a deal for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo – a move that could have immediate consequences for Pep Guardiola’s squad heading into the second half of the season.

While Semenyo’s potential arrival is viewed as another step in City’s ongoing evolution of wide options, it has also sharpened the focus on players whose pathways may narrow as a result, including Oscar Bobb.

Semenyo’s profile is well established, known for being powerful, direct, and increasingly productive in the final third, while the Ghanaian has been identified as capable of adding a different attacking dimension to Pep Guardiola’s options.

However, competition in Manchester City’s forward line is already fierce, and the addition of another senior winger with proven top-level experience inevitably squeezes minutes further down the pecking order.

Oscar Bobb has featured just nine times in the Premier League this season often in cameo roles, and while his technical quality is unquestioned, his development curve has plateaued slightly amid the rotation demands of a squad competing on multiple fronts.

Now, as relayed by Sport Witness, Norwegian broadcaster TV2 has added weight to that debate through comments from journalist Simen Stamsø-Møller, who believes a move away from the Etihad Stadium could be the most constructive step in Bobb’s career progression.

“Absolutely brilliant, sounds like a great solution,” Stamsø-Møller said. “There are several reasons for this. First and foremost for Oscar Bobb’s own part.”

The central thrust of Stamsø-Møller’s argument is not about Oscar Bobb’s ability to survive at Manchester City, but rather about what environment best serves his next stage of growth. Despite already clocking up 47 senior appearances across competitions for City, the 22-year-old remains a player with clear developmental needs.

“He has experienced a lot and come a long way but has a lot left to prove and probably some development left,” Stamsø-Møller added. “He gets that by playing steadily at as high a level as possible.”

This is a familiar crossroads for Manchester City academy graduates, with the club’s success raising the performance floor so high that even gifted talents can struggle to secure sustained runs.

One destination cited as an ideal landing spot is Borussia Dortmund, as the Bundesliga side’s reputation for nurturing attacking talent is well documented, and the pathway they offer aligns neatly with Bobb’s current needs.

“I think Borussia Dortmund will suit him very well,” Stamsø-Møller explained. “They’re known for taking care of players and developing. It’s a worse league, but he gets to develop more athletically. I see the most advantages in this. A move to Dortmund could also prove to be a perfect solution for the Norwegian national team.”

From City’s side, a departure would also make sense within the broader squad economy. As a homegrown academy product, any sale would represent pure profit on the balance sheet, offering flexibility as City look to finance moves such as Semenyo’s without compromising regulations.

More importantly, it would reflect a continued willingness to prioritise player development over asset hoarding – a balance Guardiola’s Manchester City have increasingly sought to strike.