Following an independent commission's ruling that found Manchester City guilty on 114 of the 115 allegations made by the Premier League, the club faces absolute uncertainty regarding its future. While final sanctions have yet to be confirmed, the hierarchy is poised to appeal. However, relegation remains a very real possibility.
If the club is forcibly sent down to the Championship, the question of retention of key players will be crucial: who will stay and who will opt to leave the Etihad Stadium. Five players stand out as having compelling reasons to remain, even under the worst-case scenario.
Erling Haaland
The situation surrounding the Norwegian striker is one of the most intriguing on the transfer market.
Haaland signed an unprecedented 10-year contract in January 2025, which will keep him at the club until 2034. This deal essentially ties him to Manchester for the peak years of his career. The hierarchy has emphasised his firm intent to commit his sporting future to the club for many years to come.
While such a long-term contract isn’t a guarantee that he will remain in the event of relegation, the massive financial implications make a potential exit daunting. Very few clubs would be willing to take on such substantial financial commitments, and the player himself may not want to abandon a project to which he has dedicated crucial years of his career.
Phil Foden
Phil Foden boasts the strongest emotional connection to the club among the first-team squad.
The 26-year-old midfielder joined the club academy at the age of nine and has developed into a devoted supporter of the team, signing a contract that binds him to the Citizens until 2030. Foden has repeatedly spoken about the intrinsic value of playing for his boyhood club.
A season in the Championship would represent a significant professional step back. However, rather than leaving the club in a time of crisis, Foden has the potential to become a leading figure and symbol of a major rebuild.
Rico Lewis
Rico Lewis's journey mirrors that of Foden in many ways.
The defender is another product of the club's academy, having been involved with the team from an early age. Over the years, he has progressed to the status of an English national team player.
If relegation occurs, choosing to stay would present Lewis with a fundamentally different role. He could become one of the key veterans and leaders of a revamped squad, focused on securing an immediate return to the top tier.
Nico O’Reilly
The 21-year-old O’Reilly also stands to gain professionally by staying with the team.
At this age, consistent first-team football is far more valuable than any accompanying factors. Competing in the Championship would provide the young midfielder with a vast amount of playing time, making him a pivotal element of the tactical setup as the team fights for promotion.
Market analysts have already highlighted both O’Reilly and Foden as homegrown players likely to remain loyal to the club, even in the lower division.
Caden Brereton
The youngest member of the team is 18-year-old Caden Brereton.
The defender has been in the club system since childhood. For promising youngsters, the prospect of a season in the second tier looks fundamentally different than it does for established stars.
Instead of viewing the Championship as a sporting tragedy, the young academy graduate would seize a rare chance to solidify his place at the professional level, playing regularly each week and developing without the need for a risky transfer to a new club.
Of course, guaranteeing that all these players will stay is impossible. The actual situation will depend on the severity of the final verdict, the outcome of the appeal, and specific transfer offers from other clubs. Still, this quintet has the strongest reasons to remain and help bring the club back to the top.
