Manchester City’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at The Etihad in the Premier League on Sunday, extending the opposition’s gap between the two clubs to 20 points, felt like the end of an era for this version of Pep Guardiola’s side.
The likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Ederson, and John Stones may not be at a point where they can continue to be relied upon as they have been in the past.
De Bruyne’s wild effort on goal, which was closer to the top tier of the stands than Alisson, at the end of the first half was telling, and time may be up for the Belgian, who is out of contract in the summer.
Guardiola already started an overhaul of his squad in the January transfer window by allowing Kyle Walker to join AC Milan on loan, whilst also signing Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis, and Omar Marmoush to bolster his options across the pitch.
Walker may not be the only one of the old guard to permanently move on from The Etihad at the end of this season, though, as City are reportedly looking to ditch multiple ageing stars.
The players Man City are looking to move on
The Daily Star recently reported that the Cityzens have started a ‘reboot’ and that there are a host of over 30s who are set to be sold or released in the summer transfer window.
It stated that Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, and Ederson are all expected to move on from The Etihad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Gundogan and de Bruyne are both out of contract at the end of this season and this means that City can, simply, allow their deals to expire and wave goodbye to them as free agents, alleviating any need to find a buyer for their services.
It will be interesting to see how they handle a situation like Stones’, however, as he still has until 2026 on his contract and his injury record could warn off potential suitors.
24/25
4
28
23/24
1
12
22/23
2
13
21/22
0
0
20/21
3
6
19/20
3
18
18/19
3
13
17/18
3
17
16/17
0
0
As you can see in the table above, Stones has only had two injury-free seasons out of his nine-year career with Manchester City to date, and only one in his last eight.
The England international has, therefore, not been a reliable option for Guardiola, particularly in the last three seasons, as he has missed far too many games through injury.
Hugo Viana is poised to arrive as the club’s new director of football this summer, replacing Txiki Begiristain, and he could seal a dream first signing amid interest in a Premier League centre-back who could come in as an upgrade on Stones at the heart of the defence.
Manchester City's interest in Premier League colossus
According to GIVEMESPORT, Manchester City are one of the clubs plotting a summer swoop for Bournemouth’s teen central defender Dean Huijsen.
Transfer Focus
The report claims that Viana will play a ‘pivotal’ role in the recruitment process in the upcoming transfer window and that the signing of the Cherries sensation could be one of his first pieces of business at City.
It states that fellow Premier League giants Liverpool and Chelsea have also shown an interest in the Spain youth international, which means that there could be plenty of competition to land his signature at the end of this season.
GIVEMESPORT adds that there is confidence that Huijsen is ready to take his career to the next level, which would leave him open to moving on from the Vitality Stadium in the summer amid interest from several big sides in the division.
The outlet also reveals that the former Juventus central defender has a release clause in his Bournemouth contract that can be triggered at £50m, so City may not have to negotiate with the Cherries if they are willing to meet that figure.
Why Manchester City should sign Dean Huijsen
Viana must push to get a deal over the line for the Spanish titan as a dream first signing upon his arrival at the club in the summer because he could come in as a big upgrade on Stones.
Firstly, the best ability is availability. Huijsen has only missed seven matches through injury since the start of the 2021/22 campaign and has only missed one game through injury since the start of the 2022/23 season.
This suggests that the £50m-rated star is far more likely to be a reliable option for Guardiola at City next season, as he has a far superior fitness record in comparison to Stones.
Huijsen’s quality in possession and as a defender also suggests that he could arrive as a terrific signing by Viana. During his spell on loan at Roma last season, analyst Ben Mattinson described him as “ridiculous” after a terrific goal against Frosinone, as shown below.
Do not be fooled by his frame in the clip above, Huijsen is also a strong defender who has proven his defensive quality in the Premier League for Bournemouth this season.
Appearances
11
20
Tackles + interceptions per game
0.9
2.9
Clearances per game
1.6
4.6
Blocks per game
0.0
0.2
Aerial duel success rate
57%
58%
Duels won per game
1.6
3.7
As you can see in the table above, the Cherries colossus has significantly outperformed Stones as an out-and-out defender in the top-flight, by doing far more to stop opposition attackers each match.
Huijsen has also completed more progressive passes per 90 (4.49) than Stones (3.45) in the Premier League this season, which suggests that the central defender could also provide more quality at building up attacks for his own team.
Therefore, the 19-year-old sensation, who still has plenty of years ahead of him to develop, could be a dream first signing for Viana as a brilliant upgrade on Stones for Guardiola in the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.
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It is now down to the City director of football to win the race for Huijsen’s signature ahead of the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, as bringing in a proven Premier League centre-back and an upgrade on Stones at the age of 19 would represent a dream first piece of business.