Football
Jonathan Smith, Manchester City correspondent 7y

Players most likely to be leaving Man City: Iheanacho and Nolito out?

Pep Guardiola is set to overhaul his Manchester City squad this summer after finishing the season without a trophy and failing to maintain a significant challenge in the Premier League.

The City boss is set to bring in a host of new faces and has already made space in his squad for some new arrivals with the release of Pablo Zabaleta, Willy Caballero, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna and Jesus Navas. Several senior players are set to return from season-long loan but the likes of Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Jason Denayer, Wilfried Bony and Aaron Mooy are all expected to be moved on. On top of that, there are still others from last season's squad that could be heading out of the Etihad.

Here are the five players most likely to depart City ahead of next season ...

Kelechi Iheanacho

The impact of Gabriel Jesus pushed Iheanacho out of the City squad and the Brazilian also showed how far the striker still has to progress in order to make it. Iheanacho is the only academy graduate in the squad to make it into the first team on a regular basis and has an incredible strike rate -- averaging a goal every 104 minutes in his two seasons. But it was clear that his game needed to develop when he was asked to lead the line after Sergio Aguero was given two separate long-term suspensions.

Iheanacho has huge potential and would benefit from joining a club where he will be the first-choice striker. At 20, he still has plenty of time to develop into a leading striker and City maintain a belief in his potential, which is why they would want to insert a buyback option into any deal.

Nolito

The Spanish winger had a curious season and now looks set for a return to La Liga. The 30-year-old arrived on the back of an impressive performance at Euro 2016 and looked a brilliant buy following his £13.8m arrival from Celta Vigo last summer, when City beat Barcelona to his signature. City made a fabulous start to the season -- Nolito featured in the first six games as they won their opening 10 -- but an 86th minute sending off for a needless headbutt in a 4-0 win over Bournemouth halted his season.

Nolito fell so out of favour he didn't start a Premier League or Champions League match after the turn of the year. He is open to a return to Spain to restart his career ahead of the 2018 World Cup but his sizeable salary means City may be forced to consider a loan move with clubs unlikely to match his current terms.

Fernando

The Brazilian-born midfielder was used sparingly in Guardiola's first season and it's difficult to see how he will get many more opportunities with more arrivals due in the summer. Guardiola admits he loves midfielders but Fernando's game looks short of quality when compared to the rivals Fernandinho, Yaya Toure and Ilkay Gundogan, who is working his way back from a serious knee ligament injury.

Fernando's game is built around stopping opponents and he would seem ideal for the Premier League but his limited passing ability is a bad fit for a Guardiola team. The 29-year-old has struggled in his three seasons at the Etihad and a move would help him regain his confidence and aura that earned him the nickname "The Octopus" for his tackling ability at previous club Porto.

Fabian Delph

Delph admitted himself that he became "the forgotten man" at the Etihad last season after a catalogue of injuries impacted heavily on him for a second successive campaign. He made just 13 appearances after groin and knee injuries. Guardiola has said he wants a core of English players in his squad but Delph will do well to survive.

There were suggestions he had the potential to reinvent himself as a full-back but he missed the opportunity to show what he can do last season and City are set to invest heavily in wide defenders after allowing three to depart.

Delph has always maintained he is happy at City and wants to prove he belongs with the best but his career could be better served by a move away. He was a regular in the England side before his controversial move from Aston Villa in 2015 but has played just 66 minutes for the national team since. A switch and a strong season could see him force his way into Gareth Southgate's plans ahead of the World Cup in Russia next summer.

Nicolas Otamendi

After two years at the club, Otamendi produced his best form of his City career in the final weeks of the season but it was no coincidence it came playing alongside the reassuring presence of captain Vincent Kompany.

While it is hoped Kompany has finally put his painful catalogue of injuries behind him, the concern is that at 29, Otamendi still needs to play alongside a senior figure and isn't able to take on that role himself. The Argentinian struggled in a pairing with John Stones and the young England defender is seen as more viable long-term prospect because of his potential and passing ability.

And with City expected to bring in another central defender, Otamendi could well find himself the odd man out. He has flirted with the idea of a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona, although it's unclear how interested the La Liga giants are. He's another player who can't afford to lose his place in a World Cup year.

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