Manchester City are living through a strange and uncomfortable period that many of their fans are not used to. For almost a decade, City have been the team everyone feared. They were the machine that never stopped. Season after season, Pep Guardiola built a squad that dominated English football, broke records, and collected trophies as if they were routine rewards. Six Premier League titles in seven years turned City into a symbol of control, power, and perfection. But football never stays the same forever, and now City are feeling something new. They are feeling pressure. They are feeling doubt. And they are feeling the consequences of decisions made over several seasons.
Last season was a shock. Finishing third in the Premier League felt like failure for a club that had grown used to winning everything. Arsenal finishing above them hurt. The idea that City were no longer clearly the best team in England started to spread. Pep Guardiola, a man obsessed with improvement and standards, did not hide his frustration. He knew the squad needed fresh energy, better balance, and difficult decisions. That is why City spent huge money. In January alone, they spent close to €200 million trying to rescue their season. In the summer, they did it again, another €200 million, hoping to send a message to the league that City were still here, still serious, still hungry.
But money does not always fix everything. Despite all that spending, City now find themselves chasing again. Arsenal are ahead. Other teams believe City can be hurt. The fear factor is fading. And behind the scenes, the club is facing a new reality. With so much money spent, sales may be needed. January is coming, and Guardiola may have to let some players go, not because he wants to, but because the balance of the squad and the finances demand it. This is the uncomfortable side of modern football. To buy, you must sell. To rebuild, you must sacrifice.
Several players now sit in a dangerous place. Not quite untouchable, not fully trusted, and not fully settled. Some are frustrated. Some are blocked. Some have simply failed to deliver. And as January approaches, the conversation around who could leave Manchester City is growing louder.
James Trafford is one of the most painful stories. His return to Manchester City was meant to be a dream. A boyhood fan coming back home. City paid serious money, €31 million, to bring him back from Burnley. This was not a cheap gamble. It was a statement. Trafford believed he was coming back to be number one. He rejected interest from Newcastle because he trusted the vision presented to him. He trusted Pep Guardiola. He trusted the plan.
At first, it seemed like that trust was justified. Trafford started the season as City’s first-choice goalkeeper. He was given the gloves. He was given responsibility. But football at the top level is cruel. A few mistakes are all it takes. Trafford made errors. Some were small, some were costly, but all were magnified by the pressure of playing for a club like City. Then came the biggest blow. The signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma. A world-class goalkeeper arriving sends only one message. Trust is gone.
Suddenly, Trafford was on the bench. Three league games were all he got. His confidence took a hit. His future became uncertain. A player who thought he was building his career at City now feels stuck. Frustration is growing. Newcastle, the club he once turned down, are watching closely. They know Trafford wants to play. They know he feels misled. A quick exit in January could make sense for everyone. City recover some money. Trafford restarts his career. A dream reunion turns into a short and painful chapter.
Stefan Ortega is another goalkeeper caught in the middle of City’s changing plans. Since arriving in 2022, Ortega has been the reliable backup. He has waited patiently. He has delivered when called upon. In cup games and occasional league matches, he has shown calmness and quality. At 33, he knows his time is limited. He does not want to spend his final good years sitting on the bench
With Donnarumma now ahead of him and Trafford still technically part of the squad, Ortega’s path is blocked. He wants to play. He wants to be number one somewhere. City respect him, but they also understand reality. His contract is nearing its end. If the right offer arrives in January, City may choose to sell rather than lose him for nothing. Guardiola will not want to lose both Trafford and Ortega at the same time, but one of them leaving feels almost inevitable. And Ortega, experienced and ready, may be the easier decision.
Oscar Bobb’s story is different. His is a story of promise interrupted by pain. Before his injury, Bobb was seen as one of the most exciting young players at Manchester City. Fans loved his confidence. Coaches loved his intelligence. He looked like the next academy success story ready to explode. Then came the nightmare. A serious leg break at the start of last season changed everything. Recovery was long. Confidence was shaken. Momentum was lost.
He is fit again now, but fitness is not everything. Rhythm matters. Trust matters. Bobb has struggled to regain his sharpness. He plays mostly as a rotation option. Short cameos. Few starts. At 22, this is a dangerous stage of a career. Sitting on the bench too long can slow development. City still believe in him. They do not want to sell him permanently. But a loan move in January makes sense. Somewhere he can play every week. Somewhere he can feel important again. It is not a failure. It is survival. And City know that protecting Bobb’s future may require letting him go, temporarily.
Kalvin Phillips feels like a ghost at Manchester City. Many fans forget he is even still at the club. Once signed for €49 million from Leeds, he was meant to be the perfect partner and backup to Rodri. Instead, his City career has been a disaster. Injuries, fitness issues, lack of trust, and failed loan spells have all combined into a sad story. Two years without a Premier League appearance for City tells you everything.
Loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich were supposed to revive him. They did not. Confidence is gone. Sharpness is gone. At 30, Phillips is running out of time. City want his wages off the books. They want closure. Phillips wants a fresh start, possibly outside England, away from the noise and expectations. Interest may still exist. Experience still counts. January feels like the final chapter. A clean break. A chance for both sides to move on from a signing that never worked.
Savinho is perhaps the most complicated case. Young, talented, and once highly rated, his City career has not taken off the way many expected. Last summer, he nearly joined Tottenham. The interest was real. The move was close. But City acted quickly. They offered him a new contract. He signed. It felt like trust. It felt like belief.
But football is judged on performances. And Savinho has not delivered enough. One assist in 11 league games is not enough at City. Especially when most of those appearances come off the bench. His influence has been minimal. His confidence looks low. Minutes are decreasing, not increasing. Guardiola demands impact. If you do not deliver, someone else will play.
Tottenham may return. Other clubs are watching. City would not block a move if the price is right. Selling Savinho could help fund other transfers, strengthen weak areas, and refresh the squad. It would not be personal. It would be business.
This is where Manchester City now stand. Not in crisis, but in transition. Success has a cost. Dominance creates difficult decisions. Guardiola is ruthless when needed. January will not be quiet. It will be emotional. Fans will be divided. Some will understand. Some will be angry. But change is coming.
City want to be the best again. To do that, they may have to say goodbye to players who once represented hope, ambition, or depth. Trafford, Ortega, Bobb, Phillips, Savinho. Five names. Five stories. One reality. Manchester City are reshaping themselves once more. And the January window could be the start of another painful but necessary evolution.
