Already breaking the bank this month following the arrivals of Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and AC Milan ace Tijjani Reijnders, it is no secret that Manchester City face a crucial summer behind the scenes in Manchester.
Finishing the 2024/25 campaign without a single piece of silverware to show for their troubles, Pep Guardiola’s men have a tremendous amount of pressure on their shoulders and the former Premier League champions are facing a major rebuild.
Already watching attacking icon Kevin De Bruyne end his sensational 10-year spell at the Etihad, Man City are focused on a full overhaul in the blue half of Manchester and it appears that a number of their biggest names will be heading for the exit this summer.
Omitting some of their long-standing superstars from this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup squad, it looks like some of their England internationals have been deemed surplus to requirements and are already searching for new clubs ahead of next season.
Jack Grealish
Arriving at the Etihad back in the summer of 2021 for what was a British record transfer fee of £100million, Jack Grealish got his Manchester City adventure underway with plenty of pressure to live up to his eye-watering price tag.
However, while the former Aston Villa star might have clinched three top-flight titles and a famous Champions League winners medal during his four-year stay, Grealish has largely failed to find any real stability in Manchester.
Not even included in Guardiola’s Club World Cup squad and left at home while his teammates travelled over to the United States, the 29-year-old doesn’t appear to have any kind of future at the Etihad and his departure seems almost a certainty.
Reportedly earning a whopping £300,000-per-week, Grealish has remarkably registered just four Premier League goals over the past two years and has become accustomed to warming the bench.
Only featuring for a single minute of Premier League action since the middle of April, it appears that Grealish has accepted that his future is away from the Etihad and all parties are working towards finding a quick exit from the former English champions.
🚨❌ BREAKING: Jack Grealish has been left out of Manchester City squad for the FIFA Club World Cup, official.
Grealish, expected to leave Man City this summer. pic.twitter.com/m2vxY2rWwJ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 11, 2025
Kyle Walker
Enduring what was a lacklustre loan stint at Italian giants AC Milan after completing a January switch, Kyle Walker finds himself in an almost identical position to Grealish and Manchester City have made it abundantly clear that the England international is not part of Guardiola’s future plans.
With it looking like a messy divorce could be on the cards, Walker was also omitted from City’s Club World Cup squad and the Sky Blues have told the ex-Tottenham defender to find a new club ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
With AC Milan publicly stating last month that they had no intention of making the 35-year-old’s move a permanent one, Walker almost finds himself sat in limbo this summer.
Now in the final year of his current deal at the Etihad and with City already making it clear that no extension will be offered to the six-time Premier League winner, Walker is at a real career crossroads.
Alongside reported interest from the Middle East, it was also reported this week that Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce have reached out to Walker’s representatives and are keen on striking a summer deal.
🚨🆕 #ManchesterCity 🏴 #Transfer
AC Milan will not make the transfer of Kyle Walker permanent.🫵 The 35-year-old English RB is attracting interest from Fenerbahce.
👀 Clubs from Serie A, Premier League, MLS and Saudi Arabia are also monitoring Walker’s situation. pic.twitter.com/QKCs75B8Zg
— Ekrem KONUR (@Ekremkonur) June 12, 2025
James McAtee
While James McAtee might be playing a leading role for England’s U21s at this summer’s European Championship, Manchester City academy graduate is at the heart of a budding transfer saga.
Despite making 15 Premier League appearances last season and appearing to cement his spot as a regular first-team star under Guardiola, it appears that the 22-year-old will be pushed out of the Etihad on a permanent basis.
With it reported that City are keen to cash in this summer, McAtee isn’t short of interest from across the continent and has now officially entered the final year of his contract.
With a cue of Premier League clubs making their intentions clear, it has also been suggested that new Bayer Leverkusen boss Erik ten Hag is a long-term admirer of McAtee and are desperate to bring the former Sheffield United loanee over to Germany.
While many around the Etihad might have accepted that the respective departures of Grealish and Walker are best for the club’s rebuild this summer, there will be sections of their support who will be frustrated by the exit of one of their homegrown starlets.
🚨🆕 VfB Stuttgart have added James #McAtee to their shortlist. They are monitoring his situation closely and have already gathered all the relevant information. #VfB are looking at several profiles for his position.
Eintracht Frankfurt have also made an enquiry, while Bayer 04… pic.twitter.com/OdZ9Woqoh1
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) June 5, 2025
