Julian Alvarez has impressed at Atletico Madrid since leaving Manchester City
Julian Alvarez has impressed at Atletico Madrid since leaving Manchester City (Image: 2024 UEFA)
Manchester City may be active in the January transfer window as they look to resurrect their floundering their 2024/25 campaign.
City have won just one of their last 12 matches in all competitions and have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup, fallen to sixth place in the Premier League table and are facing a fight to secure their qualification to the Champions League knockout stages.
Yet the fact they made millions in the summer transfer market means they should have money to spend next month. But how have the nine players who left City fared away from Eastlands? Here's a look at how they have started life at their new clubs.
Julian Alvarez
City sold Alvarez to Atletico Madrid for £82million and there has been criticism over the decision not to replace him with fresh striker cover for Erling Haaland.
And while City have struggled for goals when Haaland has failed to find the net, Alvarez has made an excellent start to life in the Spanish capital.
The Argentina international has scored 12 goals in all competitions and has helped fire Atleti to the top of the La Liga table at Christmas.
Joao Cancelo
Cancelo's relationship with Pep Guardiola had soured towards the end of his time in Manchester and after a loan spell with Barcelona, the Portugal international full-back joined Saudi side Al-Hilal in the summer.
The 30-year-old has nine assists to his name this season and has made 19 appearances as he has quickly established himself in the Al-Hilal side that are still challenging on three fronts in the Saudi Pro League, Kings Cup and the AFC Champions League.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
Harwood-Bellis was captain when England won the European Under-21 Championships in the summer of 2023 but he never quite managed to make the breakthrough at City.
After eight first team appearances and loan spells with Blackburn, Anderlecht, Stoke and Burnley, he turned a successful loan spell with Southampton into a permanent move in the summer.
Despite the Saints' struggles, Harwood-Bellis has established himself as a regular at Premier League level and was called up by England for last month's internationals.
The 22-year-old defender capped his Three Lions debut with a goal in a 5-0 win over Ireland and the future looks bright for the Stockport lad.
Yan Couto
Couto enjoyed an excellent season last term on loan with Spanish side Girona as he helped them achieve an unlikely qualification to the Champions League.
But he returned to City with Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis ahead of him in the right-back pecking order and when Borussia Dortmund came in with the offer of a loan deal with an obligation to buy him at the end of the season, City felt like they couldn't really say no.
The 22-year-old Brazil international has made 14 appearances in all competitions but has been in and out of the side, as he continues to compete with former Brighton star Pascal Gross for game time.
Sergio Gomez
Gomez joined City from Anderlecht as a left-back but could never really nail down regular football at the Etihad Stadium. He joined Spanish side Real Sociedad in the summer and is now predominantly used as a winger. He has four assists to his name this season and the 24-year-old has earned his first cap for Spain since leaving City.
Kalvin Phillips
After an unsuccessful loan spell at West Ham last term, Phillips' prospects at City looked bleak in the summer. But it was still somewhat of a surprise when he joined newly promoted Ipswich Town on a season-long loan deal.
What's more worrying is that a player who was playing in a World Cup for England two years ago has struggled to stand out for the Tractor Boys. He has made just one appearance in their last seven matches and has fallen out of favour at Portman Road after picking up a needless red card against Leicester at the start of November.
Tommy Doyle
Doyle impressed on loan at Wolves last season and a permanent move to Molineux for the former England under-21 international midfielder made sense for all parties.
The 23-year-old has found himself in and out of the starting XI this season, with Wolves currently languishing in the relegation zone. It remains to be seen where he fits in to new manager Vitor Pereira's plans
Maximo Perrone
Perrone joined City 18 months ago from Argentine side Velez Sarsfield but was shipped out on loan to Las Palmas last season before moving to Italian side Como on a season-long loan deal this term.
He had made a positive start under the management of former Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, starting his first eight matches for the club. However, an injury has curtailed his progress and the 21-year-old is expected to return to action in the new year.
Issa Kabore
Kabore spent last season on loan with Luton Town in the Premier League and is still under contract with City until the summer of 2027.
He made a loan move to Benfica in the summer but the 23-year-old has struggled to break into the side. The Burkina Faso international has been restricted to just 192 minutes of action across six appearances this term and his time in Lisbon, so far, has not been a success.