Manchester City poised to open contract negotiations with two first-team stars after Club World Cup

Manchester City poised to open contract negotiations with two first-team stars after Club World Cup

Contract negotiations between Manchester City officials and two of their first-team stars are expected to commence following the conclusion of the FIFA Club World Cup.

The latest developments concerning squad planning at the Etihad Stadium follow on from a concerted effort made by the likes of Hugo Viana – the club’s director of football – to get transfer business into the club completed early.

As such, four new faces were welcomed into Pep Guardiola’s first-team set-up in time for the FIFA Club World Cup, three of whom have already made significant impressions through their first appearances in Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki.

The conclusion of Manchester City’s time in the United States will likely see the focus placed on exits from the first-team squad, with Guardiola having consistently made his point clear over requiring a slimmer roster of players.

A number of names have already been sounded out for potential exits including Kalvin Phillips, Kyle Walker, and Jack Grealish, while the likes of Ederson, John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan, and Bernardo Silva have publicly indicated their desire to stay.

Aside from those matters, there also remains interest in extending the stays of some of the club’s more stable and crucial names, with the subject of possible contract extensions now reported in the media.

According to the information of The Athletic’s Sam Lee, Ruben Dias is expected to open contract negotiations with City after the ongoing Club World Cup in the United States, and while ‘there will be work to do’, there is said to be ‘no major rush’.

As for teammate and reigning Ballon d’Or holder Rodri, the Spanish international is also set to be offered a new contract at the Etihad Stadium, although Dias’ renewal could come first for City officials.

The contributions of both players cannot be underestimated during the last few seasons, changing the fortunes of Manchester City to levels of success that many supporters could once only dream of.

From the side of Ruben Dias, the Portugal international is likely to be the focal point of Manchester City’s defence for years to come, and having established himself in the leadership group for the new season, the full-time captain’s armband is expected in future.

Rodri’s impact on the club goes without saying too, having scored the winning goal in the UEFA Champions League Final of 2023, whilst also becoming the first defensive midfielder since Lothar Matthaus in 1990 to claim the Ballon d’Or award.

The Spaniard – as is the case with most players from his country – has been consistently linked with ambitious interest from Real Madrid, although the price demanded by Manchester City in the event of any concrete approach would likely break records.