Manchester City face star exodus fears if sanctions lead to Championship relegation

Home Home Latest News Latest News World Footaball World Footaball Nigeria Players Abroad Nigeria Players Abroad Nigeria Premier League Nigeria Premier League National Teams National Teams Videos Videos Super Eagles Super Eagles Transfer News & Rumours Transfer News & Rumours Games Games Manchester City face star exodus fears if sanctions lead to Championship relegation 10 October 2026 English Premier League Share this with Email Share this with Facebook Share this with Twitter Share this with Whatsapp Manchester City could lose many of their leading players if the club are relegated to the Championship or face severe restrictions as punishment for financial wrongdoing.

European clubs are increasingly being linked with the club’s biggest names. In the worst-case scenario, Manchester City could be demoted, making it unlikely that players such as Erling Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Phil Foden would remain to compete in England’s second tier.

Manchester City have become one of Europe’s elite clubs only relatively recently, and their current squad contains few established figures with a long-standing connection to the club. That could make it particularly difficult to retain key players if heavy sanctions are imposed.

A comparable situation occurred at Juventus in 2006, when the club were relegated to Serie B and stripped of two league titles. Their punishment followed a major scandal involving the influence of club officials over referee appointments, rather than financial fraud.

Juventus did retain players who helped the club recover, including Pavel Nedved, Alessandro Del Piero and Gianluigi Buffon. However, they also suffered significant departures, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic joining Inter and Fabio Cannavaro moving to Real Madrid.

Haaland’s future is already being discussed in European media, with a possible move in 2027 reportedly under consideration. Real Madrid and Barcelona have long been associated with the Norway striker, while Arsenal have also emerged as contenders because of their need for a high-profile forward.

A transfer to Emirates Stadium appears difficult to envisage, but Haaland is reportedly keen to test himself in La Liga. A possible Manchester City relegation would only strengthen the case for a move. The striker may also consider leaving if the club remain in the Premier League but are banned from European competition.

There have also been reports that one possible punishment could involve Manchester City losing enough points over several seasons to prevent them from qualifying for the Champions League.

Foden is another player attracting interest, with Bayern Munich reportedly monitoring the England international. The German club are said to need a player of his profile, and there is uncertainty over whether Foden would remain even given his strong attachment to Manchester City.

Rico Lewis is among the other prominent players who could face a decision over his future. Enzo Fernandez would also be expected to attract immediate interest. Real Madrid wanted the Argentina midfielder last summer, although no agreement was reached, possibly because Fernandez wanted to work again with Maresca. Real Madrid could return for him if he became available at a reduced price.

Young players such as Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku and Ayoub Bouaddi would also be expected to attract numerous suitors.

One potential survivor could be Abdukodir Khusanov. The Uzbekistan defender is 22, has a long-term contract and has only recently reached the highest level of the game. Remaining at Manchester City and helping restore the club could allow him to become a central figure in its history.

A future Manchester City without its familiar stars, major names and billion-pound spending would look very different. But if the club had to rebuild from the beginning, Khusanov could emerge as one of its new heroes.