Key Points Today:

1. Departures expected this season

2. Loan Players future at the club

3. Academy players future at the club

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Next up we look at players that we can expect to leave and how that makes our squad look. After that, checking through our current crop of loan players and the academy players that have featured during the season.

Had originally planned to do this series in two parts but are extending it in order to provide enough detail on each transfer target!

1. Departures

Before we get into summer arrivals we need to be aware of who is expected to go and what to be prepared for happening. A few players are on the block because of performances, ability level or person conduct.

• Kalvin Phillips has agreed to spend the remaining 23/24 season on loan at West Ham, a rumored buy out clause in the contract (~£40mil) and expected to depart in the summer.

• Sergio Gomez has continued with seasons without consistent minutes, unable to push into the first team. Can expect clubs to be interested and City to move on the player on loan at the least to play. Not at the level for first team full back spots (behind Gvardiol & Ake).

• Joao Cancelo on loan at Barcelona and expected to make the permanent move their given the breakdown in squad relations and his role becoming redundant in this team system. Fee for him floated around is ~£25-30mil.

• Tommy Doyle (Loan) on loan at Wolves has slowly progressed up the ladder for minutes. The loan deal includes a £5m buy option expected to be activated in the summer.

• Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Loan) has been doing exceptional on loan at Southampton, with a buy obligation if promoted of £20mil. Good chance this is activated in the summer.

• Bernardo Silva (Optional) has a release clause of £50mil for the summer, chance that he stays or goes is about even. Someone that if leaving, City must find a replacement on top of our targets laid out below.

• Stefan Ortega (Optional) has been building a lot of attention for his performances as our back up keeper along with the talk of a contract extension. If he seeks a move in the summer, we will also need a quality back up option in addition to our targets laid out below.

Our squad heading into the window, with the departures above but without included Bernardo or Ortega.

2. Loan Players Future

You can see below from the comparison charts just how well both Callum Doyle and Taylor Harwood-Bellis have done on loan this season. Their per 90 stats alongside John Stones last season.

Callum Doyle is one that must be thought about for the first team squad in the summer or a top flight loan, unless an undeniable buy offer comes in.

• Callum Doyle (Loan) we would expect to get a premier league loan spell, promising talent at CB who can play LB, fitting into our current system. A loan to Leicester City FC would be perfect given they are nailed on to get promotion to the premier league.

• Tommy Doyle (Sell) we would expect to take the permanent move to Wolves with his buy option activated.

• Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Sell) we would expect to move to Southampton with the buy option in the premier league or be bought by another premier league team. He had plenty of interest there last summer and the performances in the championship until now should make that move happen.

• Maximo Perrone (Loan) loan spell success hinges on the second half of the season with an impressive Las Palmas side now having him starting regularly. Being part of the City midfield in the summer could be a thought but as it stands another loan in Spain would benefit him a lot.

• Alex Robertson/Liam Delap (Loan) both had successful first halves of the season on loan before injuries returned them home. Can expect to be recovering until the summer and then take another loan spell elsewhere. Ideally both in the Championship.

• Joao Cancelo (Sell) expected to be sold this summer, making his move to Barcelona permanent.

• Issa Kabore (Sell) we would expect to secure a permanent move away from the club after a series of loan spells across Europe.

• Yan Couto (First Team) has been linked to Real Madrid as well as staying in the Man City first team as a RB option. We would expect him to either stay in the first team or find a permanent move away this summer.

• Finley Burns (Loan) is having a productive loan spell at Stevenage FC in league one, this summer would return and look for a championship loan at least or above.

• Luke Mbete (Sell) we would be expecting to move permanently away from the Etihad after a series of loan spells.

• Josh Wilson-Esbrand (Loan) has dealt with injuries this season between impressing on loan at Stade Reims, would expect another loan spell to follow in the summer.

3. Academy Players Future

We have seen a handful of the academy players make bench and substitute appearances this season, with Bobb and Rico transitioning into squad members. The focus in the summer will come to loan spells for most given how tough the pathway will be.

• Alfie Harrison (Sell) has agreed to a move to Newcastle United, which is expected to be finalized this January window.

• Micah Hamilton (Loan) made a positive impact with his champions league performance, can expect him to be fielding loan options in the summer.

• Mahamadou Susoho (Loan or EDS) made an appearance from the bench and regularly appeared in the subs list this season. Can expect to be looking at loan offers in the summer.

• Jacob Wright (Loan or EDS) got an appearance from the bench this season, one that could be accompanying the squad in pre-season this summer as well as considering loan options.

• Nico O’reilly/Max Alleyne/Ben Knight (Loan or EDS) have all been in and around the first team in training but yet to make any impact with minutes and attract top level loan interest.

Coming into the 23/24 season saw a lot of player sales from the academy, draining the top level players we had coming through and leaving room for the younger players to come though. That takes time, along with City restocking with new talents, to come through. Next season will see more players pushing into first team football at City and elsewhere via sales or loans.

This now moves us towards naming our targets for the positions identified, which may include players mentioned above. Then put together a final squad for the 24/25 season.

Let us know if you have any thoughts on outgoings, loan players or academy prospects mentioned above. Were there any we missed out?