With news of Sergio Aguero’s impending departure from Manchester City after 10 years at the Etihad breaking on Monday evening, Summer 2021 is shaping up to pivotal for the future of the football club.
Rumours of a move for Erling Haaland were circulating even before Aguero’s exit was confirmed, but it remains to be seen who Pep Guardiola brings in to fill the void.
Another long-serving player who is set to depart is Fernandinho, whose contract is set to expire in the Summer after the Brazilian extended his original contract a year ago.
But while the loss of two players well into their thirties is not expected to have a dramatic effect on the long term future of the club, the futures of Benjamin Mendy and Eric Garcia appear more pressing.
Both have rarely featured in 2020/21, Garcia firmly stuck behind the likes of John Stones, Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte at centre back while covid regulation breaches have coincided with a loss of trust between Guardiola and Mendy on the pitch as well.
Garcia was expected to leave this summer anyway, having decided to run down his contract with a free transfer to boyhood club Barcelona appearing a formality.
City decided to keep hold of the young Spaniard rather than cash in for a small fee last Summer or in January, believing they would get a greater return from playing him through the season instead. The resurgence of John Stones, however, has meant that Garcia has been limited to just four Premier League appearances.
Mendy’s short term future looks much less certain. Though he has returned to the side in recent outings against Southampton and Fulham, he appears to be third choice left back at best, behind Oleksandr Zinchenko and the versatile Joao Cancelo.
A move looks like the best option for both parties, with City likely to recoup some of the £52 million they paid for the defender and Mendy surely to be afforded more game time as he bids to return to the French national team. A transfer to PSG has been rumoured, an ideal destination in theory.
While City may look to immediately replace Aguero and Fernandinho, the Citizens’ existing defensive cohort are likely to be enough to convince Pep Guardiola to allow Garcia and Mendy out without confirmation of anyone coming in.
