‘They’re going to Saudi’ – Man City exodus to continue after Pep Guardiola reveal
Manchester City have been tipped to continue cutting down their squad despite the transfer deadline passing.
It has been a difficult start to the season for City, who have lost two of their first three Premier League games.
Earlier in the summer, Pep Guardiola made it clear he wanted a smaller group for the new campaign, as City try to close the gap to champions Liverpool.
Even though the transfer window has now closed, Guardiola is still working to offload players, with Ilkay Gundogan leaving to join Galatasaray on Tuesday (2 September).
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that there could be more players following Gundogan out the door this month.
Man City players to move to Saudi
This article contains exclusive comment from Keith Wyness, former Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen CEO.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that we could still see a couple of Man City players moving to the Saudi Pro League, in order to trim down Guardiola’s squad.
The transfer window in Saudi Arabia doesn’t shut until 23 September, giving City more time to offload their unwanted stars.
Wyness added that the sales would help the club financially as well.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Yeah, I think there will be more leaving. Gundogan has gone now, but there are others who could go, certainly to Saudi.
“I still expect movement, even outside the window. Pep has come out, and we’ve got to take him at his word that he wants to cut that squad number.
“There’s still another couple at least, if not two or three, that we could expect to see move from City, and financially, I think they’d want to do that as well.”
Man City make goalkeeper decision
Meanwhile, Gianluigi Donnarumma will replace James Trafford as Man City’s first-choice goalkeeper, sources have told Football Insider.
Sources say that the former PSG keeper is likely to come in and immediately become number one.
After the addition of Donnarumma, Man City now have three top-class goalkeepers vying for one starting position in the side.
The Italy international and Trafford are backed up by Stefan Ortega, who has often deputised for the departed Ederson in the past and always performed well when called upon.
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