Manchester City are reportedly prepared to sanction the exits of as many as seven first-team players this summer.
The Citizens were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid on Wednesday night, with the Premier League champions suffering a 6-3 aggregate defeat to the holders of the competition.
Man City are fourth in the Premier League table, meanwhile, some 17 points off leaders Liverpool, while they are only one point ahead of fifth-placed Bournemouth in the race for the Champions League spots.
Pep Guardiola's side are only three points ahead of seventh-placed Newcastle United, meanwhile, so it is possible that the club could miss out on Europe altogether next term, unless they triumph in the FA Cup.
According to the Daily Star, Man City are preparing to overhaul their squad at the end of the campaign, and as many as seven first-team stars could leave, including Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva.
The report claims that John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Ederson and Ilkay Gundogan may also be moved on.
© Imago
Grealish, De Bruyne, Bernardo 'among those Man City willing to move on'
De Bruyne and Gundogan are both out of contract at the end of the season, with the duo likely to leave on free transfers.
Bernardo, Stones and Ederson are in the final 18 months of their contracts, meanwhile, and with all three over 30, it is unlikely that fresh deals will be offered, so the trio could also be sold at the end of the campaign.
Kovacic and Grealish both have contracts until June 2027, but the latter's future continues to be called into question due to his struggles since arriving at the Etihad Stadium from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021.
Grealish has only managed one assist in 15 Premier League appearances this season, and there has been talk of a potential return to Villa, while there will also be other Premier League clubs interested in his services this summer.
© Imago
Guardiola admits "the best team won" in Champions League playoff round
Following Wednesday's 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League knockout round playoff, Man City head coach Guardiola admitted that "the best team won".
"The best team won, they deserved it," Guardiola told reporters after the match. "We made good Champions league campaigns in the past, [reaching the] semi-finals and finals, but this season no.
"I had the feeling in the previous three [years] we were better than them, this time they have been better. They can run, can make long possessions, high pressing, dynamic movement, defend well. They deserve it. We need to learn from it. We need to accept it and move forward.
"The game 2-3 at home was hard to swallow. Here it is not easy. Even with a positive result at home I know how good they are. With time, the team and the club will accept what it is. Now we have 13 Premier League games and we will try to be here next year. We have been unbelievable and we have to try, step-by-step, to get better."
Man City will be aiming to bounce back from their Champions League defeat to Real Madrid when they welcome Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
Matt Law
