Pep Guardiola will be devastated to see any of his Manchester City treble-winners leave the club this summer, but it may be surprisingly difficult for the Spaniard to keep some of his favourites at the Etihad.
However, for the good of competitive football, it might be a blessing if some of City's stars make an exit in the transfer window.
Ilkay Gundogan has already left for Barcelona, while a host of Guardiola's other stalwarts have been rumoured with transfers elsewhere. The departures of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal last summer also proved costly in City's pursuit of the Premier League and Pep will be keen not to give any of his other rivals a leg-up this time around.
Here are some of those who could leave the Cityzens this transfer window.
Joao Cancelo
One of those who has missed out on the plaudits received by City's treble-winners is Joao Cancelo.
The 29-year-old left the Etihad halfway through last season to join Bayern Munich on loan after falling out with Guardiola. Having made 17 Premier League appearances and appeared in every Champions League group stage match for the Sky Blues, Cancelo may regret his decision to depart City in the middle of a historic season in Manchester.
Having been met by a chorus of boos by Man City supporters when his Bayern side faced the Sky Blues in the Champions League quarter-final, it appears there is no way back for the once invincible Portuguese defender.
While Bayern have had the option to make Cancelo's deal permanent for approximately £60m, the Bavarians passed up on the opportunity due to what they consider an excessive fee. However, Die Roten remain a club acutely interested in a deal for the full back but will have to barter to get a transfer over the line.
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta also holds Cancelo in high-regard having worked with him during his time at Man City, but given the positive impact of Jesus and Zinchenko at the Emirates last season, Guardiola may think twice before letting him move to north London. Barcelona are also sniffing around having already captured his former teammate Gundogan, but their financial problems would make a deal difficult to complete.
Kyle Walker
Cancelo is not the only full back Bayern are interested in, with last season's Bundesliga champions also eager to sign Walker.
The 33-year-old impressed last season, albeit his minutes were more closely managed, and his pace has been crucial in breaking up opposition counter-attacks with John Stones stepping into midfield. His impressive performance against Vinicius Junior in the Champions League semi-final second leg highlights how capable he remains at the highest level.
With his contract set to expire next summer, City are keen to extend his current deal despite the fact that Walker is yet to make a final decision on whether he wants to stay at the Etihad.
Bayern have been forthright in their attempts to woo Walker this summer as Thomas Tuchel seeks a replacement for the departing Benjamin Pavard and the England international may be keen on a change of scenery having won almost everything there is to win at City.
Aymeric Laporte
Similarly to Cancelo, Laporte was once seen as an immovable object in the City starting lineup. His absence was so greatly felt during the 2019/20 season when his injury early in the campaign resulted in a significant drop-off in performances for the Sky Blues, helping Liverpool leapfrog City to the Premier League title.
However, Laporte is now something of a luxury option for Guardiola as Nathan Ake's sensational performances have cost the Spain international his starting berth. The potential arrival of another left-sided centre-back in Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig could well and truly push Laporte out the exit door.
90min have already reported that, following conversations with Guardiola about a lack of game time, Laporte is now looking for a move away from the Etihad this summer. Barcelona, who are seemingly the first in line for any discontented City player, hold an interest in the 29-year-old while there are unsurprisingly suitors from Saudi Arabia.
Kalvin Phillips
Having sealed a dream £45m move from Leeds United last summer, things quickly turned nightmarish for Phillips at City.
The holding midfielder missed a large chunk of the campaign through injury last year and was even criticised by Guardiola for being overweight. As a result, the 27-year-old made just 21 appearances in all competitions, most of which came from the bench, and the curtain may already be closing on his disappointing City career.
Guardiola is still undecided about what to do with Phillips but given the significant transfer fee City spent on the midfielder, it may be a rare example of when the club's recruitment team get it wrong. West Ham and Newcastle have been linked with a potential move and it feels as if a transfer may come later in the window.
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Bernardo Silva
One man who Guardiola would be loathed to lose is Bernardo Silva, a man for whom the big occasion is his playground.
His sensational performance in Man City's 4-0 victory over Real Madrid last season was one of the highlights of the campaign, scoring twice and giving Eduardo Camavinga nightmares. The 28-year-old is one of Guardiola's key foot soldiers and his loss would be sorely felt by the Sky Blues should he depart.
Paris Saint-Germain's new coach Luis Enrique is eager to work with the attacking midfielder, while there has also been significant interest from Saudi Arabia. Unsurprisingly, Barcelona also have a long-standing admiration of Silva with City only willing to accept sizeable offers for the Portugal international.
Silva has made 306 appearances over a trophy-laden six-year career at the Etihad.
Riyad Mahrez
Despite his slightly waning influence on Man City, now normally being reserved for more simplistic fixtures, Mahrez still managed 28 combined goals and assists in 47 games last season.
On his day, he remains borderline unplayable. Knowing he is going to cut in on his wand of a left foot and unleash a powerful drive is one thing, stopping it is another thing altogether. His consistency and quality is unquestionable, but this may be the last summer in which the Sky Blues can recoup a significant amount of money for the 32-year-old before his value diminishes.
Despite growing lucrative interest from Saudi Arabia, 90min understands City are still desperate to keep hold of the Algerian winger this summer, especially if Silva departs. Without an obvious replacement for his unique skill set, Mahrez's exit would pose Guardiola a serious headache.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Man City players who could leave before the transfer window deadline.
