Several major European clubs are monitoring the situation of Manchester City's stars, following the club's conviction for 115 breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
Erling Haaland
Club: Manchester City
Mundo Deportivo revealed that after the club's conviction was confirmed, other clubs began closely monitoring the situation, anticipating the possibility of signing some of Manchester City's key players, especially since the squad includes names that attract wide interest in the transfer market.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland tops the list of stars expected to attract interest from major clubs.
The Norwegian striker renewed his contract with Manchester City in January 2025 until June 2034, making him the holder of the longest contract among the team's players.
Despite Haaland's long-term contract, his future could become a topic of discussion if Manchester City faces a severe penalty, particularly if it involves point deductions preventing them from participating in the Champions League for several seasons.
The issue is not limited to Haaland, as the list of players who might attract European clubs' interest includes Joško Gvardiol, who stands out for his ability to play as a left-sided center-back, a position that could make him a suitable option for Barcelona.
Enzo Fernández also stands out, having been previously linked with a move to Real Madrid, alongside Rayan Cherki and Elliot Anderson, who delivered impressive performances in the Premier League last season.
The list also includes Jeremy Doku, Rúben Dias, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Antoine Semenyo, Phil Foden, Marc Guéhi, and Ayoub Bouadi, all of whom could become targets for other clubs depending on the nature of the penalty imposed on Manchester City.
The likelihood of these players leaving varies according to the form of the penalty the club receives, as relegation to the English Championship for one season differs completely from point deductions over several seasons, which could deprive the team of European participation for a prolonged period.
In the event of relegation, Manchester City might resort to loaning out some of their players for a season if they refuse to participate in the Championship, then recalling them after returning to the Premier League.
However, all these scenarios remain tied to the penalty to be imposed on Manchester City, which will largely determine the shape of the club's future and the possibility of its stars staying with the team in the coming years.
The punishment to be imposed on Manchester City has not yet been determined, as penalties may range from financial fines and title withdrawals to various forms of point deductions.
Point deductions could, in one of the proposed scenarios, lead to Manchester City being directly relegated to the English Championship, or involve deducting a large number of points over several consecutive seasons, which would make it difficult for the team to qualify regularly for the Champions League.
All these scenarios remain mere possibilities pending the official determination of the penalty, but the uncertainty has begun raising questions about the future of several team stars and the possibility of their departure to other clubs should Manchester City face a sanction affecting their ambitions.
