Manchester City saw seven permanent departures in 2024 plus one loan exit at the start of 2025.
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RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - DECEMBER 03: Joao Cancelo of Al-Hilal SFC passes the ball during the AFC Champions League Elite match between Al-Hilal and Al-Gharafa at Kingdom Arena on December 03, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - DECEMBER 03: Joao Cancelo of Al-Hilal SFC passes the ball during the AFC Champions League Elite match between Al-Hilal and Al-Gharafa at Kingdom Arena on December 03, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
Ahead of an anticipated clear out at Manchester City this summer, certain players may be plotting an exit route or trying to knuckle down and fight for their place.
City will never stand in the way of a player who wants to leave, while there is also a regular flow of academy players departing. For the last two summers, City have made considerable profit from selling players and that helped to fund their £180 January spending spree.
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A similar level of business is expected this summer. City want to overhaul their squad and that will mean moving on some high earners and big names. Those recognisable figures may look to previous players who have departed the Etihad over the last 12 months before deciding on their next moves.
Joao Cancelo
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - DECEMBER 03: Joao Cancelo of Al-Hilal SFC passes the ball during the AFC Champions League Elite match between Al-Hilal and Al-Gharafa at Kingdom Arena on December 03, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
Cancelo left City to join Al Hilal in the summer.
After loans at Bayern Munich and Barcelona, Cancelo was hopeful of a return to the Nou Camp (or Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys) permanently. However Barcelona's financial situation meant that wasn't possible and there were not many other options in Europe with the transfer deadline approaching.
So Cancelo took a move to the Saudi Pro League, signing for Al Hilal for £21m where he has been an ever-present alongside the likes of Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic. Cancelo has two goals and 11 assists in 31 appearances so far, including some further forward on the right wing.
Sergio Gomez
After two seasons of failing to hold down a place at left-back, right-midfield or anywhere in between, City fan Gomez sealed an £8m move to La Liga and Real Sociedad. It proved an inspired transfer, starting regularly in San Sebastian and earning a senior international call-up to the Spain squad.
Gomez has been in and out of the team recently, including watching Sociedad's recent Europa League meetings with Manchester United from the bench. But with 38 appearances across the midfield he is a regular in the league and even has three goals to his name.
Julian Alvarez
Julian Alvarez
Julian Alvarez slipped when taking his penalty against Real Madrid
City's former striker asked for a shock exit in the summer, opting to join Atletico Madrid and earning the Blues a record sale worth £64m, potentially rising to £81m. The Argentine took a little time to get going in Spain but hasn't looked back once the goals started flying in.
23 goals and five assists is a fine return, including a stunning strike at the Bernabeu in the Champions League last-16. However, when Alvarez thought he had planted his penalty in their shoot-out vs Real Madrid into the top corner, he was penalised for touching the ball twice when he slipped. The penalty was disallowed, Atletico were beaten, and to rub salt in the wounds UEFA then said they would look to change the law to ensure it wouldn't happen again.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
Taylor Harwood-Bellis scored on his England debut but is staring at relegation with Southampton.
The defender's £20m transfer to Southampton was automatically triggered when Saints won the play-off final to secure a return to the Premier League and City's pre-agreed fee was promptly added to their transfer budget. Harwood-Bellis has been a regular figure in Southampton's wretched season, a bright spark in a campaign rivalling Derby for the worst-ever Premier League season.
But with a goal on his England debut and some stand-out performances despite the results, Southampton may consider Harwood-Bellis a sellable asset as they recover in the Championship next season. City will watch that situation with interest as they hold a sell-on fee for him.
Tommy Doyle
Tommy Doyle is forging a decent top flight career at Wolves.
Another loan automatically triggered into a permanent deal, Doyle is quietly enjoying life in the Premier League at Wolves. The midfielder has 26 appearances this term, although just five have been starts as he navigates life in the top flight.
Yan Couto
Borussia Dortmund have triggered the purchase clause in Yan Couto's contract
Borussia Dortmund have triggered the purchase clause in Yan Couto's contract.
The Brazilian full-back impressed at Girona last season and was subsequently sent out to Borussia Dortmund. They inserted a £25m option to make the deal permanent dependent on certain conditions - which were promptly met early in the season. So Couto will become City's first exit in the summer.
Micah Hamilton
Micah Hamilton made a goalscoring Manchester City in the Champions League against Crvena Zvezda before joining Middlesbrough.
The former ball-boy who scored on debut in the Champions League last season left permanently last term. Middlesbrough made a significant profit on former City graduate Morgan Rogers last year, so will have had high hopes for Hamilton. It hasn't gone as smoothly as it did for Rogers, though, with Hamilton currently on loan at League One high-fliers Stockport in a bid to get regular games and play his way back into form.
Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker of AC Milan reacts during the Coppa Italia Quarter Final match between AC Milan and AS Roma
Kyle Walker is getting regular games at AC Milan.
The captain shocked City by asking to leave in January having lost his place to Rico Lewis at the start of the season. He is trying to save his career at AC Milan, who have an option to buy the England man for €5m in the summer. Reports in Italy suggest they have decided to trigger that but nothing has been confirmed.