Man City shake-up, even Rúben Dias not safe; ex-Benfica | OneFootball

Manchester City are preparing to enter a new era. After a decade of success under Pep Guardiola, the English club is moving forward with a major squad overhaul and a restructuring of its sporting setup, in a process that is expected to mark the end of one of the most successful cycles in its history.

The departure of the Catalan coach is only the first step in a genuine revolution at the Etihad Stadium, with several iconic figures also on their way out. Among the departures already confirmed are Bernardo Silva and John Stones, whose contracts expire on June 30.

The former Benfica man brings to an end a nine-season spell at Manchester City, during which he became one of the most important players of the Guardiola era. In fact, he was the player most used by the Spanish coach throughout his career. Bernardo’s future remains open, but he has been linked with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.

With the departure of two dressing-room leaders, it will be up to sporting director Hugo Viana to lead the squad renewal process. However, according to The Athletic, the priority is first to determine which players will remain at the club. The outgoing operation could involve several members of the current squad, including players with long-term contracts. Much of those decisions will also depend on the vision of the next coach, Enzo Maresca.

He is seen as the main candidate to succeed Guardiola, although his arrival has not yet been made official. Despite the planned changes, Rúben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are not among the players placed on the market. Even so, the future of both defenders remains open. According to The Athletic, Real Madrid’s interest in the former Benfica player could gather momentum after Florentino Pérez’s re-election and the appointment of José Mourinho as head coach of Los Blancos.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.