Manchester City will turn their attention to exits as well as arrivals when the transfer market truly clicks into gear after the international window.
Many players have shelved talks on their futures until after their time away with national teams as they look to solidify their positions for the Qatar World Cup at the end of 2022. As the June internationals come to an end in the coming days, more decisions will start to be thrashed out for players as clubs formalise their plans for next season.
At City, that could mean at least two high-profile exits. Gabriel Jesus is expected to leave and is keen to sort out his next challenge, with Mikel Arteta's Arsenal among the frontrunners while Chelsea and Tottenham have also been linked; the Blues will be looking for a considerable profit on the £27m they paid for a raw teenager in 2016 even if he does only have a year left on his contract. They know that none of the established Premier League clubs can plead poverty.
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Raheem Sterling is another looking for a swift resolution. Sterling is open to signing a new deal at the Etihad if he can be convinced he will still be an important player, but with Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez coming in, and Jack Grealish expected to feature more next season, the competition is only getting tougher.
As expected, there is plenty of interest in the England international but Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Liverpool have already committed significant sums to new players already while Barcelona are still short of cash. Chelsea are currently the only English side with the sway and financial clout to reach a deal with Sterling and City.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has said there will be more than one new signing through the door yet, and the Blues will hope that Kalvin Phillips is one of them as they look to shore up the midfield following Fernandinho's departure. Phillips has been targeted over Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong and Sporting's Mattheus Nunes, although his price tag has probably gone up by at least £15m after Leeds managed to avoid relegation on the final day of the season.
Brighton left-back Marc Cucurella is also of interest as City weigh up the eternal question of whether they strengthen in that position or not.
A deal for Cucurella looks possible given Brighton will sell for the right price, but how keen City are to get a deal over the line may depend on Oleksandr Zinchenko. Arsenal are one of a number of clubs interested in the Ukranian — who would like more game time — but if both he stays then the Blues may be less fussed about further strengthening when they already have him and Joao Cancelo on that side.
Zinchenko is one of a number of players who could leave but whose departure would surely force City into the market. Nathan Ake is another — although he has recently pledged his wish to stay — while Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez are both approaching the final 12 months of their deals.
If there is significant work to be done still on incomings as well as exits, Txiki Begiristain can still be satisfied that two new first-team players in Haaland and Alvarez have already been sorted. And with no major tournament occurring this summer, there will be fewer obstacles to completing transfer business ahead of their Premier League title defence.
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