Transfer

Man City January transfer window plans: Contracts, signings and targets

Man City January transfer window plans, contract concerns and signings assessed; keep up to date with all the latest news across the whole of the 2025 winter transfer window with the Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' website and app, and on Sky Sports News

Wednesday 1 January 2025 12:11, UK

What are Man City's January transfer plans?

Pep Guardiola has confirmed that "in some positions we need help" via new additions in the January window. He pointed to those as "holding midfield and central defenders" after they won at Leicester.

Sky Sports News can already rule out two names that have been linked in midfield; City will not be pursing deals for Martin Zubimendi or Bruno Guimaraes.

In holding midfield, one issue they have for any newcomer is convincing them to sign even though Rodri is almost certain to come straight back into the team when he is fit again.

Ruben Dias and John Stones have also been huge misses at centre-back and they not only need to improve now but develop the squad for the future. It will be difficult to strike the balance in what is always a difficult market in January.

Summer-signing Claudio Echeverri officially joins the club on January 1 following the end of the Argentinian league season. He signed in the summer for £12.5m from River Plate but is a young player for the future in attacking midfield.

Then there is the prospect that Kevin De Bruyne can speak to foreign clubs from January 1 with his current deal expiring in June, as well as Ilkay Gundogan, although there is the option to extend the deal he signed in the summer by a further year.

Speculation on De Bruyne's future arose in the summer as well as the likes of Ederson, Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish. It will take big offers in terms of transfer fees and wages for those players to leave midway through the season but their situations have been brought into focus by City's sharp decline in form.

The imminent transition from long-time Guardiola partner Txiki Begiristain as sporting director to Hugo Viana, who will arrive from Sporting at the end of the season, also provides important context to any work City do in January.

Which Man City players are out of contract in the summer?

Kevin De Bruyne

City's revamping of their squad may progress without their star midfielder, who told reporters at the end of December that there had been "no movement" over talks for a new deal.

The 33-year-old, who has struggled for fitness this season due to injury problems, said over the summer he did not know where his future lay beyond his current deal but denied any talks had taken place over a move to Saudi Arabia.

Ilkay Gundogan

When the midfielder returned to Man City from Barcelona over the summer, he signed a one-year deal that included the option for a further 12 months.

Amid the club's current struggles and Pep Guardiola's admission that a rebuild is required, there is a lack of certainty around which players will be kept on next season.

Scott Carson

Manchester City and the veteran goalkeeper, with two appearances at the club since 2019, are unlikely to announce a decision on his future until toward the end of the season. The 39-year-old is third-choice at the Etihad.

Who did Man City sign in the summer transfer window?

Savinho - Troyes, £33.6m

Ilkay Gundogan - Barcelona, free

When does the winter transfer window close?

The 2025 winter transfer window officially closes on Monday February 3 at 11pm UK time in the Premier League.

The window for most major European leagues - including France (1pm GMT), Germany, Scotland and Spain - also closes on Monday February 3, though times vary.

Italian clubs, meanwhile, only have until 7pm on Saturday February 1 to do their business and the transfer window in Turkey closes on Tuesday February 11.

Further afield, the window shuts in Saudi Arabia on January 30.

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