Manchester City are highly likely to refresh their squad this summer transfer window. Besides Rodri, who has been mired in transfer rumors, who else might leave?
Phil Foden
By the end of 2025, Foden seemed to have returned to his peak form, but since the turn of the new year, he has rarely had the chance to play. Regarding most of the players who featured at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, one crucial point stands out: Pep Guardiola has found a starting lineup in which he places absolute trust.
At this crucial stage of the season—where the outcome of every match will significantly impact how many trophies Manchester City can secure in the final weeks—he will clearly not make major adjustments to this lineup.
Foden, like many other players in the squad, is unlikely to get many more starts in the remaining six matches of the season (five league games plus the FA Cup final against Chelsea).
However, this soon-to-be 26-year-old Manchester City academy graduate has a unique distinction: most of his teammates in similar situations are actually new signings who joined the club not long ago.
England national team head coach Thomas Tuchel recently spoke about Foden's situation, noting that Foden has performed impressively in training during international breaks but has been unable to replicate this form in official matches;
It is evident that Foden is also struggling to exert substantial influence within the Manchester City team at present. In Saturday's match, he was the first Manchester City player to be substituted; although his poor performance was somewhat excusable given that he was part of a heavily rotated lineup, his invisible and lackluster display on the pitch still gave cause for concern.
Foden's situation has attracted particular attention not only because he is a beloved local hero but also because his contract is set to expire in two years. It is widely expected that he will sign a new deal with the club, but this is undoubtedly a development worth continuing to monitor, especially considering the numerous challenges he has faced over the past two seasons.
Nico Gonzalez
In Saturday's match, Nico became the undisputed star with a stunning winning goal and an outstanding performance that earned him the "Man of the Match" award; however, such a highlight moment may have, to some extent, made his current situation even more frustrating.
Nico (who prefers to be called by his first name) joined Manchester City from Portuguese giants Porto towards the end of the winter transfer window last year. He made an excellent first impression at Manchester City—even being nicknamed "Little Rodri" by manager Pep Guardiola after delivering a brilliant performance.
However, the good times did not last long. As established players such as Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic, and Kevin De Bruyne stepped up to save Manchester City's 2024-25 season campaign, Nico gradually faded out of the team's starting lineup.
Perhaps the 24-year-old Spanish player will get a fresh start after Bernardo Silva leaves this summer; perhaps he will receive more playing time under the new head coach; or perhaps he will choose to seek opportunities elsewhere—after all, several clubs are currently closely monitoring his situation.
Marmoush
Marmoush's situation is quite similar to Nico's: just as Rodri has blocked Nico's chances in midfield, Erling Haaland's presence has become a barrier for Marmoush to break into the first-team lineup in attack. In Guardiola's tactical setup, Marmoush is positioned as a center-forward, or at least a central attacking threat;
This means he is clearly not getting opportunities to play as a winger and usually only gets a chance to start when Haaland is absent.
The 27-year-old Egyptian international has generally delivered satisfactory performances during Haaland's absences; after joining from Eintracht Frankfurt in January last season, he also scored some crucial goals. However, when called upon at short notice after a long spell on the bench and required to make an immediate impact, he often seems to struggle due to a lack of match rhythm.
Saturday's match was the perfect example: he wasted numerous excellent scoring opportunities and repeatedly frustrated fans with offside violations at critical moments. Perhaps he has already considered leaving, eager to move to another club to secure more regular playing time; and as mentioned earlier, there are certainly no shortage of potential suitors interested in signing him at present.
Reijnders
After joining from AC Milan last summer, Reijnders immediately broke into the starting lineup in the Club World Cup; in the following months, he also maintained a firm position in the starting eleven in the Premier League, but his playing time has become increasingly scarce recently.
The 27-year-old Dutch midfielder has performed well in Serie A and for the national team. He excels at receiving the ball deep in his own half and controlling the game rhythm through precise passing and movement.
However, Manchester City believe they already have other players capable of fulfilling this role—at least for now, Rodri and Bernardo are excellent options. Therefore, Guardiola has shifted Reijnders to a more advanced attacking position, hoping he can make an impact and score goals behind Haaland.
This also means he cannot touch the ball as frequently as he used to; for a player who is not particularly renowned for his defensive abilities, this often causes him to appear somewhat disconnected from the team's system during matches.
It is not difficult to imagine that as he enters his second season in English football, Reijnders' overall performance is expected to improve, and his future prospects are promising; once Bernardo leaves, he may be moved back to his preferred deeper midfield position.
Although he made a stunning debut with one goal and one assist in the opening Premier League match away to Wolverhampton Wanderers in August, raising high expectations for his first season at Manchester City, it now appears that this year's development path may not have fully met those expectations; even so, it would still come as a considerable surprise if he chooses to leave at this point.
