On June 30th, The Athletic released the 5th issue of its "Transfer Deal Briefing" for the 2026 summer window, discussing the situation of Manchester City.

What happened this week?

A major breakthrough occurred in the Elliott-Anderson transfer, with Manchester City and Nottingham Forest agreeing on a £116 million transfer fee for the player. The English midfielder's medical examination is scheduled after England's match against Panama.

The club worked extensively to finalize Maresca's appointment, with Football Director Hugo Viana spending several days in London to ensure everything was in place before Maresca officially took office on Monday.

Who will be next after Anderson?

This could be one of Manchester City's busiest transfer windows in recent years. Over the past 18 months, the club has rebuilt its squad, but some newly acquired players may leave this summer, meaning Manchester City must find replacements.

Presumably, for example, if 10 players leave, Manchester City will not sign 10 players. They might sign 7 to 8 players and fill the gaps with youth team players.

Maresca wants a slightly larger squad than under Guardiola. Manchester City previously prioritized strengthening three key positions: right-back, midfield, and winger, but player departures will increase the number of new signings for these positions.

Regarding new contracts, the signings of Gvardiol, Doku, and Foden should be officially confirmed in the coming weeks.

Which positions/players are they looking at?

Manchester City is watching and admires Buadi, but if they are to sign him, they are still considering how best to proceed with the deal. If Manchester City ultimately signs him, they have considered loaning him back to Lille for a season.

However, they have also weighed keeping him in the squad and trying to get him playing time. He is considered a highly talented but inexperienced midfielder with the potential to play at right-back, but due to departures and arrivals in other positions, his future is subject to many variables.

Many rival clubs are interested in him, but Manchester City is also considering this option. One reason why Buadi is considered a potential candidate for Manchester City's right-back position is that Manchester City's search for new players in this position has not been smooth.

They highly admire Chelsea's Gusto, but Chelsea's valuation of him is as high as £75 million, which is considered overpriced. Unless there is a major turnaround at Chelsea, Manchester City will have to look elsewhere, but there are not many other suitable options available at the moment.

Manchester City also hopes to sign a winger who can dribble and create chances through passing, as well as a midfielder in addition to Anderson. Tonali is one of their targets, but he has already received an offer from Tottenham – which is another factor affecting their interest in Buadi.

Which players might leave?

The list of potential departures is quite long. Bernardo Silva and Stones have already left, Ake is also expected to leave, Kovacic might also depart, Trafford has many suitors, and Ruben Dias, who was previously eyed by Real Madrid, might also leave.

Nico Gonzalez and Marmoush, both joined in January 2025, might also leave. There are also some doubts about Reijnders' future, although a change of coach might give him more confidence and more playing time next season.

Sávio is another player who might leave, bringing the total number of departures to 10. Phillips and Grealish would also be sold if suitable offers come in, although they don't need direct replacements.

Then there is Rodri, who has not yet renewed his contract and may never do so. His options this summer seem quite limited. Although Manchester City is very keen to keep him, they are also aware that the possibility of Rodri leaving is not entirely ruled out.

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