Manchester City have raised almost £240m selling players who never represented them, yet still they face ‘expulsion’ and all manner of other punishments.
The following players have all been sold by Manchester City since Pep Guardiola was appointed manager in summer 2016 for fees despite them never making a single competitive appearance for the club.
Nahuel Ferraresi (£3.7m, Sao Paulo)
A part of the City Football Group from as early as 2017, the Venezuelan centre-half first joined Montevideo City Torque before being shipped out on three different loans before his breakthrough move to the Etihad, which he has almost certainly never stepped foot in. Estoril borrowed him for a bit and Sao Paulo made another brief stay permanent in January 2024.
Carlos Forbs (£12m, Ajax)
West Ham thought they had Forbs wrapped up but the forward gave it a second thought and perhaps mistakenly decided that Ajax might be a better option after a 2022/23 season which included 29 goals and 18 assists in 33 games for the U23s.
Adedire Mebude (£1.5m, Westerlo)
The Manchester City Academy Player’s Player of the Year for the 2021–22 season was linked with PSV, Spurs and Club Brugge in summer 2022 as talks over a contract renewal stalled, but the Scotland youth international has ended up in Belgium. Yes, there is a buy-back clause. Yes, there is a 30% sell-on clause.
James Trafford (£15m, Burnley)
The England U21 hero and recent senior call-up could ultimately cost up to £19m, while Manchester City also retain a 20% sell-on clause and buy-back option thought to be worth triple what Burnley have paid. Trafford’s first Premier League season suggests it might not be exercised; he has been dropped by the Clarets for fellow City alumnus Aro Muric.
Yangel Herrera (£4.3m, Girona)
Immediately sent on a two-year loan to New York City FC upon his Etihad arrival in January 2017, Herrera was then sent for seasoning at Huesca, Granada, Espanyol and Girona before setting up permanent camp at the fourth of his many Spanish clubs.
Juan Larios (£6m, Southampton)
The Spaniard got as close as a few Papa John’s Trophy appearances to breaking into the Manchester City first team. Which is to say he didn’t get close at all. But Southampton took a punt anyway.
Big test here: does the Community Shield count? Because Edozie was named in the starting line-up of the 2021 edition, being subbed after an hour of Leicester’s eventual historic win. Official ruling is glorified friendly, so the brother of Fandab is in.
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