Manchester City identify five-man shortlist for 2026 summer transfer window sales

Officials at Manchester City are eyeing a significant sales push of first-team names during the 2026 summer transfer window, according to reports.

Hugo Viana’s appointment as City’s sporting director in the summer saw a major revamp of the first-team squad ensue, underpinned by a series of senior stars leaving the Etihad Stadium in the backdrop of a disappointing, trophyless 2024-25 campaign for the Blues.

Pep Guardiola welcomed seven new names to his squad in the recent transfer window, with Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Ederson, Scott Carson, Ilkay Gundogan and James McAtee leaving permanently and the pair of Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji among those who left on season-long loans in search of regular minutes ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

City are at a nascent stage of their transition under Viana and are punching above their weight in challenging a near-perfect Arsenal side for the Premier League title – after recovering from lousy start to the season that saw them languishing in the bottom half of the table at the end of August to now being just two points adrift of the Gunners in second place.

Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku have stepped up to support Erling Haaland in attack in recent months but issues persist for Guardiola and City, who have been shipping goals for fun this season and are dealing with injuries in midfield.

The Blues are not expected to be nearly as active in the January 2026 transfer window as they were in the summer but there are loopholes to plug in a squad vying for major trophies, though Viana and co are also already drawing up plans for next summer.

As reported by Alan Nixon, Manchester City are planning sales at the end of the ongoing season, with a big push to find a buyer for Jack Grealish – who has a £50 million option to buy in his ongoing loan arrangement at Everton.

However, with that fee not fixed, it is claimed that Grealish’s fee could drop and possibly to as low as £30 million. Elsewhere, City will also look to sell Issa Kabore – currently on loan at Wrexham – with the right-back having one year left on his contract by next year.

The report also suggests there could even be a shock exit for Claudio Echeverri – on loan at Bayer Leverkusen – providing any sale includes a buy back clause in the event of a significant rise in his development in European football.

Echeverri’s representatives went against Manchester City’s desire for him to move to Girona on loan for the 2025-26 season and after pushing for a move to Leverkusen, the Argentine teenager faces an uncertain club future after barely kicking a ball for the German side so far this term.

Elsewhere, others earmarked to be sold include central defender Juma Bah – on loan at French club Nice – and even the highly-rated young goalkeeper Oliver Whatmuff, who is starring with National League high-flyers Rochdale.

Manchester City bosses will be looking at the bigger picture and will allow another season without silverware, keeping in mind that the club are in a period of transition after a revamp of their squad in the summer, though the summer of 2026 will give the Blues another chance to streamline their ranks to challenge for titles in the seasons to come.