Man City transfer news: Three midfielders tipped to leave amid “opportunistic” Nico Gonzalez exit rumours

Manchester City would be “stupid” to let Nico Gonzalez leave the club just six months after signing him for £50m, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

The 23-year-old moved to the Etihad Stadium from Porto midway through a turbulent 2024-25 campaign for the Citizens at a time when Pep Guardiola’s side were having to cope without injured lynchpin Rodri.

Gonzalez started 11 of his 16 appearances for Man City in all competitions and then played for just 61 minutes across their four matches at the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this summer.

Competition for places in midfield is rife at the Etihad Stadium, with Gonzalez battling for starts along with the returning Rodri, new signing Tijjani Reijnders, captain Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic - when he returns from injury - while Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki - another new recruit - also prefer to play in central positions.

Conflicting reports have recently emerged over the future of Gonzalez, with some suggesting that Man City would be open to letting the Spaniard leave the club this summer and that the player’s agents have sounded out options for a possible transfer.

Meanwhile, the Manchester Evening News claims that Guardiola’s side are in fact planning to have Gonzalez in their squad for the new season and the midfielder is expected to report back for training in Manchester at the end of July, with the Citizens not looking to sell him.

Gonzalez leaving Man City “makes absolutely zero sense”

McInerney does not believe that Man City would consider the departure of Gonzalez this summer and believes that either Gundogan or Kovacic is more likely to leave, while Bernardo has been tipped to seek pastures new when his contract runs out in 2026.

“I don't believe [the exit rumours] personally. It just doesn't seem realistic,” McInerney told Sports Mole when sharing his thoughts on the future of Gonzalez.

“As much as there's a small possibility that Guardiola right now might still prefer the older players, Bernardo, Gundogan and Kovacic - I believe that's possibly true - I just don't think City's board would sanction Nico Gonzalez being written off for £50m that quickly.

“Pep did admit many times that he has to take a backwards step on his view of the transfers, because he admitted last summer that he was wrong to tell [the club’s board] not to refresh the squad.

“Bearing in mind Guardiola’s just come off the worst season in his managerial career, statistically, and City's worse in a decade, he's in no position to go: ‘I'm sorry, that £50m player [is not for me]’.

“I just don't believe with Kovacic, Bernardo and Gundogan all likely to not be here in 12 months, that Nico Gonzalez is going to be let go right now. It makes absolutely zero sense.

Gundogan, Kovacic, Bernardo heading for Man City exit in near future?

“I think there's also a good chance that Gundogan might leave still (this summer). There's still some rumours of him going to [Turkey]. Kovacic is not even back yet, who knows what happens there, and it feels like City have sort of moved on a bit without Kovacic right now because of [his injury setback] over the summer.

“As a fan, I feel the frustration a little bit (over Gonzalez’s lack of game time). After Gonzalez’s first game against Newcastle, Guardiola called him a ‘mini Rodri’, and that's an incredible amount of praise.

“There's a good chance that Guardiola saw some things he maybe didn't like (about Gonzalez) as he adapted to [life at City], that come with experienced, come with time. I know they're very different footballers, but I cast my mind back to people like Nathan Ake when he first joined Manchester City.

“He only played around 10 games in his first season at City and he was a reasonably frustrated squad member, a couple of injuries here and there. There were a couple of years where he was very rotational until eventually, with a bit of patience and experience, he broke into the City side and worked really hard.

“Not every player can be that patient, and everyone's different, but I think it'd be mad of Nico Gonzalez to look at the balance of the squad and not think [City’s midfield] is clearing up big time, presuming Bernardo, Gundogan and Kovacic leave in a year. They will, I'm almost certain. Maybe not Kovacic, arguably, but the other two, definitely gone.

“Say all three do leave for the argument's sake, that leaves City with Rodri - and we don't know how fit Rodri's going to be for what it’s worth, he’s already had a setback at the Club World Cup - but assuming he's fine, Rodri, [Tijjani] Reijnders, and that is it of the deeper-lying [midfield] players.

“It's just those two players that are recognised there and you've got Nico Gonzalez, that's it. You could argue Nico O’Reilly could go into that role, but until he does that, I'm not going to count him there anyway.”

Man City urged to keep Gonzalez amid “opportunistic” exit reports

McInerney continued: “I think the reports are opportunistic... I think it'd be stupid for City to let him go. I think Nico Gonzalez is very much aware that he only signed six months ago - and a month of that we haven't even played football, and Guardiola decided to lock in and trust the experienced players as we hunted for Champions League football, and ultimately got it - and I think we will see more of him.

“I think one of Gundogan and Kovacic will leave. I think they will do. That leaves City with [Gonzalez], Bernardo, Rodri and Reijnders in the deeper role - maybe Kovacic potentially still but we don't know what his fitness is going to be like, and he hasn't always been the most fit player.

“Nico Gonzalez does not seem to get injured so far, based on the six months that I've seen. I'd be amazed if he occasionally doesn't play alongside Rodri when Rodri's fit. Guardiola’s even spoke about him wanting to learn from Rodri as well.

“The physicality that he's got, his strong running comes in really useful alongside Rodri where you want to lock it in. Rodri, Reijnders and Nico in midfield is really powerful, full of control, full of composure, and we will see that at some point. I'd be amazed if you don't see that against a team like Arsenal one day.

“Nico Gonzalez is more like Declan Rice than Rodri, in terms of that powerful run that he's got. I'd be amazed if you don't see Rodri sit a bit deeper [next to] Reijnders and Nico. That's a physically dominant three in midfield. We'll see that at some point in the future.

“I think it'd be very stupid. I think people are getting giddy, because we've seen [Kalvin] Phillips and [Matheus] Nunes struggle in midfield, and Phillips moved on very quickly, and I think they're putting two and two together and getting five. I just don't believe it, personally.”

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Written by
Oliver Thomas