‘Embarrassing’ Man City star and team-mates who have to go in Pep Guardiola clear-out

Pep Guardiola knows he is overseeing an ageing squad at Manchester City which appears to have peaked.

But who’s fault is this? Despite having a bottomless pit of cash to spend, Guardiola’s recent recruitment has not been good enough.

And this is now coming back to bite him on the backside. If he chooses to fulfil that new contract he recently signed, the Spaniard faces a significant clear out, as he looks to rebuild a team in serious need of fresh legs and talent.

So who needs to go, as the curtain continues to come down on Guardiola’s glorious era at the Etihad? Kevin De Bruyne remains a great player, but continues to suffer injuries and is nowhere near as reliable and consistent as he used to be.

City have had the best years from the Belgian midfielder, and it feels like next summer would be the perfect time for De Bruyne to move on. Re-signing Ilkay Gundogan from Barcelona last summer was a mistake.

Like De Bruyne, Gundogan is not the player he once was. He is becoming a liability in midfield, where pints of milk have turned quicker than the German. He has to go.

Kyle Walker is another 30-something whose best years are behind him. It wasn’t too long ago he had Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior in his pocket, which is no mean feat.

But these days he is making too many mistakes, not to mention embarrassing himself with incidents like the one involving Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund last weekend.

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And John Stones is now the wrong side of 30, incapable of remaining fit or being relied upon by Guardiola. City’s defence has become porous and vulnerable, even against teams it shouldn’t be, while midfield lacks energy, youth and sparkle.

And just for good measure, how long Erling Haaland hangs around to witness a team failing to match his own high standards, remains to be seen.