Key Takeaways
Manchester City's squad has been ranked amid their terrible run of form, with them winless in six games.
Erling Haaland, Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne are all considered to be must keeps right now.
However, players like Kyle Walker and Ilkay Gundogan could make way in coming transfer windows.
Six games without a win. Eight points off of the Premier League table. Pep Guardiola looking the most frustrated he's ever been. There's no question that Manchester City are currently enduring a crisis of sorts given their lofty standards in recent years .
Those in sky blue haven't been performing at their typically high levels for weeks now, and many have hinted that it could be time for a rebuild. Jamie Carragher said recently that their midfield is cause for concern, with the engine room not performing without the talismanic Rodri.
"What I'm talking about with Gundogan and Kovacic, this is not players out of form, this is not going to change. Henderson and Fabinho in those positions ended up moving on. And Liverpool had to rebuild in midfield. That's what Manchester City are going to have to do. Whatever Pep thinks of, there's not enough legs in that midfield right now to change what we're seeing as well."
But who are those who deserve to be a part of the squad right now? And who should be on the chopping block when the transfer window opens in January and, indeed, in the summer. Factoring in how well players have been performing lately and their potential for future minutes, Man City's squad has been sorted into one of five categories:
Must Keep
Useful to Have in the Squad
Talented Youngster
Listen to Offers
Get Rid
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Must Keep
Ederson, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, John Stones, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland in action
Considering how absurdly talented players in this squad are, the fact that only nine individuals are considered must keeps is quite astounding. Nevertheless, City would be foolish to let any of these players go, given what they offer the team across the pitch.
Despite being guilty of a wild moment at different points, Ederson remains one of the best goalkeepers in the league right now. And both John Stones and Ruben Dias are still two of the best in their respective positions too. Josko Gvardiol, despite recent calls to drop him, is still an excellent option either at left-back or centrally, so there's no chance of him leaving the Etihad soon.
If City's recent run has proven anything, it's that Rodri is indispensable to them. The Spaniard's injury has coincided with their worst run in the Guardiola era, so he simply must be kept at all costs. And although Kevin De Bruyne is getting older, his ability to craft something out of nothing should see him rewarded with a contract extension beyond 2025.
Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden are both dangerous wide players who, when on form, can help break past the toughest of defences with a neat bit of footwork or a delicate pass. And as for Erling Haaland... The goals simply speak for themselves.
Useful to Have in the Squad
Stefan Ortega, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes, Bernardo Silva, Savinho
Bernardo Silva
While the players in this category are important to City, they are perhaps not as essential as those in the tier above them. Stefan Ortega, for example, is one of the better back-up goalkeepers in the league currently, and played an important role towards the end of last season when Ederson was injured. Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji are also both good options to call upon when others are unavailable too.
Rico Lewis, meanwhile, has endured a breakout year, going from talented young prodigy to one of the more regular starters in this City team. Capable of playing at full-back on either flank and also midfield, he is up there with the very best young players the Premier League currently possesses.
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A few months ago, Matheus Nunes might have found himself in a lower tier, with reports even suggesting that he could be sold unless he improves. Yet there have been more promising signs of late, even if City themselves have not impressed as a whole. Considering he is a decent back-up for Rodri in midfield, he could yet be kept moving forward.
Savinho, despite his relatively brief time as a City player, has already impressed enough and shown he can offer lots moving forward. And Bernardo Silva is arguably knocking at the 'Must Keep' door. Some would certainly keep him at all costs, but he is perhaps not as integral to City as a De Bruyne or Foden.
Talented Youngster
Oscar Bobb
Oscar Bobb
City's academy is widely regarded as one of the best in English football, and this section will only likely grow as even more talented players come through the ranks. But, of the names listed in their senior squad, Oscar Bobb is the one most likely to develop into a talented option.
The Norwegian has been a regular fixture in the senior team back in 2023, with 27 appearances for the senior side since his debut and five goal contributions in those. There was every chance that those numbers were likely to increase too, with Bobb putting pen to paper on a new five-year deal in February this year. A leg injury has cruelly limited his appearances so far, but expect him to be back in the squad once he's fully fit again.
Listen to Offers
Joshua Wilson-Esbrand, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish, James McAtee
Manchester City winger Jack Grealish in action
Look, these lot are hardly players City should be forcing out the door. After all, they could probably do a decent job for a few other English teams. But if the club were to receive a suitable offer for them, then there could be every chance they would let them go.
Joshua Wilson-Esbrand could well have found himself with Bobb in the tier above. But, after making his senior debut for the club back in October 2022 as part of City's 5-0 thrashing of FC Copenhagen, just two other appearances for the first team have followed. James McAtee has also struggled to break into the senior team after shining in the academy, making just 14 appearances so far. City will ideally hope both of them can grow into players who can help the squad, but the signs aren't there right now, as evidenced by their limited minutes.
Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan both fall into very similar camps - talented players, but ones whose best days are behind them. If City are to revamp their engine room moving forward, you can imagine that this is the duo they would look to replace. And Jack Grealish, while a wonderful option, has struggled to really make his mark at the Etihad under Guardiola. The club might well be tempted to sell him with Savinho's emergence, particularly considering Tottenham are known to be keen admirers of the England international.
Get Rid
Scott Carson, Kyle Walker
Manchester City's Kyle Walker
City might well sell many more of the two players here, but as things stand, these are the two who should probably be swapped out for new faces. Scott Carson, while a valuable presence off the pitch, has just turned 39, and his position as third-choice goalkeeper could easily be passed to a promising academy player.
Kyle Walker's inclusion here, though, is much more controversial. One of England's best players in the last decade and still a top Premier League right back, he's been more error-prone of late and also seems to have lost a yard of pace which allowed him to recover in the event of a mistake. City fans haven't been best pleased with the £175,000-per-week defender in various games this season, most notably during their loss to Brighton, and considering that he will be turning 35 in May 2025, it could well be time to say goodbye to the Sheffield-born defender when the summer transfer window opens.
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