Manchester City face a chaotic final three weeks of the transfer window with up to five senior players potentially leaving the club, which could net over £200m in fees and necessitate a major recruitment drive.
Rodri exit looms
The most significant departure would be that of Rodri, with Barcelona expected to match the £60m asking price for the 30-year-old midfielder, who has expressed a desire to move to the La Liga giants. His exit would leave a huge void at City, given his dominance in helping Spain to World Cup glory and being named the tournament's best player.
Record signing Elliot Anderson, who is returning to the City Football Academy this week along with other World Cup stars, is the standout arrival so far, but City are determined to ensure any exits are replaced with new signings.
Midfield reinforcements
Ayyoub Bouaddi looks likely to join the Blues, with City trying to finalize a deal with Lille for the £85m-rated teenager. However, his arrival would be on top of any additional signing to replace Rodri. The potential departure of Tijjani Reijnders, with Nottingham Forest keen on a £55m move, could also necessitate another central midfielder, taking the potential influx in that area to four in total, including Anderson and Bouaddi.
Reijnders was given plenty of minutes during the summer tour of Asia, as was Savinho, who is another expected to leave. Tottenham have a longstanding interest in the Brazil international, and a departure for around £60m is likely, prompting City to target another winger, with Pedro Neto linked.
Marmoush and Lewis question marks
Omar Marmoush, who scored twice in the win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday, has been linked with an exit, with his path to regular starts blocked by Erling Haaland. A departure could come before the September 1 deadline, with City then needing to add a forward who knows they will play second fiddle to Haaland.
There are also question marks over the future of Rico Lewis, who attracted interest from elsewhere. City could easily rake in over £200m from the quintet and spend the same again on replacements. The Blues remain calm in their approach but with five senior exits possible and an £85m move for Bouaddi to conclude, it promises to be a chaotic 21 days.
