- Ruben Dias has been linked with a Man City exit
- The defender signed a new long-term contract last summer
- Pep Guardiola’s departure could impact City’s rebuild
Manchester City could face another major summer departure as the club prepares to move into a new era without Pep Guardiola.
The Citizens have already confirmed that Pep Guardiola will step down from his role after 10 years at the Etihad.
John Stones and Bernardo Silva will follow in his footsteps as they played their final game for Man City against Aston Villa.
Likewise, Guardiola’s departure could now trigger further changes at the Etihad Stadium with the future of several key players under scrutiny.
Ruben Dias reportedly wants to leave Man City
According to CaughtOffside, Ruben Dias has become unsettled at Man City following Guardiola’s departure.
Likewise, the Portuguese defender has instructed his agent to explore options for a possible move away from the club.
The report suggests that Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are all monitoring Dias’ situation.
However, he only signed a new four-year contract with the club in August 2025, keeping him tied to the Etihad until the summer of 2029.
Nevertheless, Dias’ potential departure could be a major blow for City as the transition will make the uncertainty worse.
Man City have enough depth in the back four
Guardiola’s departure was likely to create doubts surrounding key players who were central to the manager’s reign.
Dias remains one of the figures who played a key role under the Catalan manager. He joined the club in 2020 and quickly became an important leader in the dressing room.
However, the Sky Blues do have considerable depth at centre-back with Josko Gvardiol, Marc Guehi and Abdukodir Khusanov.
Vitor Reis is also expected to return to the Premier League next season after his loan at Girona comes to an end.
Maresca should be given the final say on Dias
Regardless, City remain in a strong position because of the defender’s contract. Likewise, the FA Cup winner shouldn’t be rushed into a decision due to the transitional period they are going through.
Maresca will obviously play the key role in deciding Dias’ future. The Italian manager would like to have depth in the back in case of emergencies.
Manuel Akanji left for Inter Milan, and Nathan Ake is expected to leave this summer unless Maresca has a role for the Dutchman.
However, Reis might not yet be ready to cover a Premier League spot. Hence, if Ake actually leaves this summer, keeping Dias should be the right call.
