Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has claimed that his squad is too bloated and must be trimmed before the closure of the summer transfer window.
The Citizens managed to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 on Saturday afternoon, with talisman Erling Haaland scoring twice.
Newcomer Tijjani Reijnders also found his way onto the scoresheet, and his impressive performance has ignited optimism amongst supporters.
However, Guardiola was more pessimistic after the victory, claiming that players have to leave the club in order to create a harmonious environment.
Speaking to reporters after the game, he insisted that he does not want to have to leave players out of his matchday squad, saying: "Too much. Too many people, too many players. It’s not about [Ederson]. Today there was Rodri and Phil [Foden] out.
"Kovacic is injured but will be back and Savinho and Josko are out. On the bench we had Nathan and Gundo. I like a deep squad to compete in all competitions but I don’t want to leave players at home. I don't want it. It’s not healthy. You cannot create a good vibe or atmosphere to compete."
Goalkeeper Ederson has seemingly been replaced by shot-stopper James Trafford, though Guardiola claimed that he was not part of the squad that beat Wolves due to illness.
Manchester City's Ederson on June 18, 2025.
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Ederson has been linked with a move to Galatasaray, though the Turkish Super Lig side could struggle to meet City's valuation of the Brazilian.
Winger Savinho performed well at times last term, but Tottenham Hotspur have been credited with an interest in the forward.
A switch to London for the attacker is by no means certain considering Spurs are thought to be keen on signing Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze.
City have a number of older players on their books, with the likes of Mateo Kovacic (31), Ilkay Gundogan (34) and Bernardo Silva (31) still at the club.
It would not be surprising if one of the trio left, especially as Guardiola has brought in midfielders such as Nico Gonzales and Reijnders, who may limit their playing time.
Manchester City's Savinho on August 8, 2025
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Many of Manchester City's struggles in 2024-25 were attributed to the absence of Rodri, but he is not scheduled to return from his latest injury until after the September international break.
However, City's midfield against Wolves coped well despite some early pressure, with Reijnders and Gonzalez both performing well.
While neither player is as adept on the ball as Rodri, the duo are both still accomplished in possession, and they are arguably better out of possession than the Spaniard.
It would be foolish to discount Guardiola's City from the title race this term, and they will almost certainly be in the mix at the end of the season.
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