Manchester City did not have the most memorable summer transfer window in 2024.
Pep Guardiola sanctioned just two exits of players from last season’s first team, bringing in two new faces (one actually not being so new!)
Sergio Gomez and Julian Alvarez left the club to join Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid respectively, while Savinho arrived from Troyes for £33 million.
Then, there was a real surprise as Ilkay Gundogan sealed an amazing return to the club after just one season at Barcelona.
Barca need Gundogan off the books to aid their financial situation – and City were more than happy to take him back.
But City have certainly been busier, and here are a few ‘losers’ of the club’s 2024 summer window.
Matheus Nunes
Matheus Nunes has to be a loser of this transfer window, mainly due to the fact Gundogan has come back.
Nunes struggled for minutes in his first season at City following his £53 million transfer from Wolves. The last thing he really needed was for another high-quality midfielder to join.
Gundogan’s return makes Nunes’ task of becoming a success at the club even more difficult.
He reportedly had interest from Atletico Madrid and that would potentially have been a good loan move for him. But nothing materialised.
It is not out of the question he could still depart for a club in Saudi Arabia, with their window open for a few more days.
But for the moment, Nunes is a loser of City’s 2024 summer window.
Stefan Ortega
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Stefan Ortega has generally always impressed when called up for City.
The German has proven to be a magnificent signing, after being brought in for free in the summer of 2022 following his relegation with Arminia Bielefeld.
There was a lot of speculation about him and Ederson this summer, with both being linked with exits.
Ederson looked like he would for Saudi Arabia, but in the end he stayed. Potentially, this makes Ortega a loser of the window.
He signed a new contract at the Etihad, when he might well have become a number one. Either at City, or at another club.
Ortega may well be happy to continue with his role as a number two. But there also may be a part of him that wishes Ederson might have got his move.
Joao Cancelo
Unlike Nunes and Ortega, Joao Cancelo is no longer a Manchester City player after sealing a move to Al-Hilal.
For most of the summer, Cancelo was linked with a move to Barcelona, the club he was at on loan last season.
The Spanish giants were his priority. But in the end, he did not get his wish.
Cancelo’s wage demands were reportedly too high, and Barcelona also could not afford to sign him permanently, with City wanting to sell the player and not loan him again.
Interest in the full-back was relatively low, so Al-Hilal were his only other option.
Undoubtedly, he is a big loser of City’s 2024 window because there is surely no chance he is completely happy about where he’s ended up.
