Raheem Sterling, Aymeric Laporte and Gabriel Jesus are among several players unhappy with their roles at Manchester City, reports the Athletic.
Man City end the season having won a domestic double, leading the Premier League by 12 points and defeating Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup final.
However, it ended on a sour note, losing to Chelsea in the final of the Champions League.
As they go into the transfer window, the Cityzens will look to add more depth to their squad so they can challenge on four fronts again.
With Sergio Aguero set to depart, a new striker is at the top of the shopping list.
England pair Harry Kane and Jack Grealish are said to be two of the club’s main targets this summer, as well as a new left-back.
However, these moves will be tough to finance in one window, especially following a year of playing games behind closed doors.
As a result, some players may have to be sold. The Athletic claims that several City players are unhappy with their playing time, including Raheem Sterling, Aymeric Laporte and Gabriel Jesus.
Given their squad depth, it is inevitable that some big names end up on the bench. These players may feel like they could get more minutes on the pitch elsewhere, with many top clubs willing to take them on.
Raheem Sterling
Since Pep Guardiola arrived at the Etihad Stadium, Sterling’s stock has skyrocketed. He went from a raw, talented youngster with little end product to one of the best wingers in the league.
This season, his performances have not been up to the standards expected of him, scoring just 14 goals in all competitions – fewer than half of what he got in 2019/20. He ended the season with just one goal in his final 16 games.
The England international has been one of Guardiola’s most reliable players over the last few years.
Only Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero have scored more goals under the Catalan’s tutelage. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him back in the starting line-up soon.
Aymeric Laporte
Laporte was once considered the best defender at the club by a distance. His long-term absence in the 2019/20 campaign was pinned as one of the main reasons City failed to put up a strong title defence.
This term, things have been different. Ruben Dias arrived for a club-record fee, and John Stones enjoyed a revival to his career at the Etihad, leaving Laporte stuck on the bench.
The France-born centre-back has only just turned 27 and has four years remaining on his current contract.
A player of his ability will undoubtedly be in demand, so he should command a decent fee if he is sold.
Gabriel Jesus
Once described as the heir to Sergio Aguero’s throne, Jesus’ time at Man City has mostly been spent sitting on the bench.
The Brazilian was probably happy to tolerate this during the early stages of his career in England but will have grown increasingly dissatisfied this season.
The 24-year-old may feel a little bit insulted at his game time this campaign. Aguero has spent a lot of time on the sidelines, but Guardiola often opted to play without a natural striker.
And, with Aguero set to move on in the summer, it is looking doubtful that Jesus will be trusted up front next season.
Tottenham Hotspur are said to be interested in signing the forward, opening up the possibility of a swap deal for Kane.
Read also: Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish was considering Manchester United last summer but prefers Manchester City now.
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