Man City could sell 12 players for over £100m to fund summer transfer window

Manchester City have one final game this season where they can secure a historic double-double after winning the Premier League title last week.

A fourth title in a row follows last season’s treble, while City also added the Club World Cup and Super Cup to their collection during the campaign. A second FA Cup success in as many seasons will continue their dominance, with the task next season to continue their winning streak.

Afterwards, City’s exhausted players will try to get as much rest as possible before linking up with their national teams for the European Championship and Copa America as soon as possible. Back at the Etihad, as Pep Guardiola takes a well-deserved summer off, planning will be well underway to build a squad to go again in 2024/25.

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City have raised millions in recent years from player sales to boost their transfer budget, including more than £100m in academy departures. Even without the £42m raised by selling Cole Palmer, City have sold a number of youngsters for more than £10m each – the likes of Romeo Lavia, Shea Charles, Sam Edozie, Carlos Borges and James Trafford.

Some offers to sell academy players have already been lined up for this summer, which could give City a £25million kick-start before the transfer window opens. Wolves loanee Tommy Doyle moved to Molineux permanently this month for £4.5m as part of his current deal, while Taylor Harwood-Bellis will join Southampton for around £20m if he advances in the Championship play-off final against Leeds. .

If Southampton remain in the second tier, Harwood-Bellis will remain in demand and City could demand a similar fee. The England U21 captain has over 100 Championship appearances and is under contract at City until 2025, so a permanent exit could be better for him and the club this summer.

Similarly, Callum Doyle has just helped Leicester back into the Premier League. Doyle reached the Championship play-off final last term with Coventry, so would be another young England defender attracting suitors. Doyle can demand a similar fee to Harwood-Bellis given that he is under contract with City until 2027.

There are then a few loanees from the first team who could be sold permanently. There seems to be no turning back for Joao Cancelo, having signed for around £60m in 2019 and is on his second loan spell away from the Etihad. Barcelona want to keep him next season but have admitted they will struggle to pay for him – so City must decide whether to sanction another loan or try to sell him elsewhere. Any sale might fall short of the £60m mark, but it would still be a significant fee.

Similarly, Kalvin Phillips’ loan to West Ham has not had the transformative effect he had hoped for and certainly has not changed Guardiola’s view that the midfielder does not fit into his system. Another loan or sale looks good, although recouping the £42m paid for him will be very difficult the longer he struggles. Leeds have been mooted as a potential destination, especially if they beat Harwood-Bellis’ Southampton in the play-off final to earn promotion back to the top flight.

Other loanees who could be sold include Luton full-back Issa Kabore, who has impressed in the Premier League, and potentially James McAtee. The striker convinced City to let him out on loan again this season and has played often for Sheffield United, but they have endured a nightmare season. He has shown that he is capable of playing in the top flight, so a decision will have to be made on his future.

Liam Delap has scored in the Championship either side of a serious injury and now could be the time to sell him on a two-year contract. Maximo Perrone, signed last January and then sent on loan to Las Palmas, and Yan Couto, on loan to Girona, could be two more players who could boost the transfer kitty. Loanees Josh Wilson-Esbrand and Luke Mbete could also look to leave permanently.

City’s record of developing and selling academy players is at a premium these days, so the Blues will be hoping for another big summer of sales if they can find buyers for those who won’t be in the first team next season.