‘Man City put senior stars up for sale in Gibbs-White, Wirtz recruitment drive’
Man City are ready to move on a number of their current players in the summer transfer window as they pursue the signings of Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz.
This has been a hugely underwhelming season for Pep Guardiola‘s side who have seen their run of four consecutive Premier League titles brought to an end by Liverpool.
Indeed, the FA Cup is the only piece of major silverware they could potentially win this season, underlining the need for a squad overhaul after some dismal performances.
That has already begun with Man City spending heavily in the January transfer window on the likes of Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez and Vitor Reiss.
Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz targeted for Etihad moves
Despite those signings, the outgoing Premier League champions are expected to be busy when the market opens again in the summer.
As previously revealed by Football Insider, Man City are interested in both Nottingham Forest’s Gibbs-White and Bayer Leverkusen star Wirtz ahead of the return of the window.
With Kevin De Bruyne set to part company with Guardiola’s side in the summer when his contract expires, both could be seen as potential replacements for the Belgian.
| Position | Played | Points |
| 2. Arsenal | 35 | 67 |
| 3. Manchester City | 35 | 64 |
| 4. Newcastle United | 35 | 63 |
| 5. Chelsea | 35 | 63 |
| 6. Nottingham Forest | 35 | 61 |
| 7. Aston Villa | 35 | 60 |
According to a report from The i, Gibbs-White is a priority target for Man City, who are said to be “progressing” in their pursuit of the 25-year-old.
They are also keen to sign Wirtz, although neither player would be cheap, and so it is stated the club will make “senior stars” available for sale this summer.
That will help to offset the costs of signing the likes of Gibbs-White and Wirtz, among others, apparently ensuring the club avoid risking a breach of the Premier League’s rules around Profit and Sustainability, with a ruling on their long-running Premier League charges not expected imminently.
Man City exits no surprise
Football Insider Verdict
It makes sense that there are likely to be senior players departing the Etihad Stadium before the start of next season.
Many current members of the squad have done remarkable jobs in helping to deliver success to the club in the past, earning them a place in Man City folklore.
This season though, a number of those have simply not been able to replicate that quality of performance on a consistent enough basis.
Guardiola and co. are going to want to win the title back immediately, so some players will have to be moved on to make room for signings who can regularly perform to the highest standard.
With that in mind it may be intriguing to see exactly who is moved on by the club this summer, which could also influence the positions they sign in.
Jack Grealish is among those Man City have been tipped to sell, and with interest in other attacking midfield options such as Gibbs-White and Wirtz, such a move could make sense.