Manchester City are moving to offload a series of expensive transfer mistakes from Pep Guardiola's final years, a report from the Independent Football outlines this week. The club could recoup more than £175 million from players signed in a frantic £450 million spree who never won the Premier League title at the Etihad.
This activity comes as Enzo Maresca's side sits 7th in the Premier League table with 3 points from their opening game, having scored twice and conceded once. Their next challenge is an away trip to face Crystal Palace on 28 August, a fixture you can view on our fixtures page.
Which players are leaving Manchester City?
A significant clear-out is underway. Winger Savio, who joined for £85 million, is set to complete a move to Tottenham Hotspur for a similar fee after 84 appearances where he failed to match Riyad Mahrez's output despite taking his shirt number. Forward Omar Marmoush, a £45 million signing who scored 16 goals, is also linked with Spurs in a deal that could push the total recouped from this group past £100 million. Midfielder Nico Gonzalez, bought to be Rodri's understudy, is reportedly a target for Newcastle United after the club concluded he was not the solution.
They follow goalkeeper James Trafford and midfielder Tijjani Reijnders out the door, with all five arriving in Guardiola's last four transfer windows. The club had already banked £91 million from sales before the Savio deal, including the departures of club legends and a Champions League winner in Nathan Ake.
Why did these signings fail at City?
The recruitment in Guardiola's final two seasons, particularly a rushed January 2025 window, saw over half of the £450 million spent on players who have already left or will play a minor role under Maresca. Savio and Marmoush were poor in the first half of last season, with the latter's pace negated against deep defences. Reijnders, a box-to-box midfielder, lost his place, and Gonzalez was often overlooked for more technical options. The club's assessment is that these signings simply did not meet the required standard for a title-winning squad.
This period of transition also saw a change in leadership, with Txiki Begiristain replaced as director of football by Hugo Viana. The new regime, led by Maresca who spoke about finding 'a new Rodri', is now dealing with the legacy of that expensive misstep.
How is the squad shaping up now?
Manchester City have been active in reshaping the group. They broke their club record to sign midfielder Elliot Anderson for £116 million and have proposed an £85 million deal for Ayyoub Bouaddi. Experienced goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was brought in, prompting Trafford's exit, while Ilkay Gundogan's 2024 return lasted only a year. Youngster Sverre Nypan remains on the books but has been loaned out again.
The current squad, which you can examine on our squad page, will be judged on its ability to climb from 7th place. With a positive goal difference early on, the focus turns to building consistency.
What does this mean for City's future strategy?
The clear lesson from this expensive episode is the danger of rushed recruitment, even for a club with vast resources. The successful sales provide significant funds to correct past errors, but they also represent a substantial write-down on initial investment. Moving forward, the scouting and negotiation led by Viana will be under scrutiny to ensure signings fit Maresca's system from the start. The immediate test is the trip to Selhurst Park, a game that will offer early insight into the new group's resilience. Fans can track the team's progress up the standings as the season develops.
