Most clubs would love City’s problem at centre-back. With five senior options for two starting places, the question for Enzo Maresca isn’t who’s missing — it’s who misses out.
A year ago, City’s central defence looked different. Some would say ageing. Now, after Manuel Akanji left for Inter Milan, John Stones was released, and Nathan Ake moved to Fenerbahce, the picture has flipped: a queue of very capable centre-backs, and no obvious way to satisfy them all…aside from playing a back-five, all of them centre-backs.
The senior pairing
Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol remain the starting favourites. Dias spent much of the spring linked with a move away amid interest from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG, but City have since rejected every approach and made clear he isn’t for sale.
Gvardiol’s situation is even more settled — he’s signed a new contract through to 2033, closing the door on Real Madrid’s interest for good. Between them, they’re the closest thing City have to an established partnership heading into pre-season, albeit Gvardiol is equally comfortable at left-back.
Guehi’s adjustment period
Marc Guehi’s £20m arrival from Crystal Palace in January was framed as exactly the profile City had been missing — an England regular with pedigree from Selhurst Park. He’s now had half a season to settle in, but a new manager and a genuinely competitive position mean nothing is guaranteed.
If Maresca wants Premier League experience without breaking up Dias-Gvardiol, Guehi is the obvious option to rotate in. Add in the fact that his pre-season is going to start later than some of his peers, which is a dilemma for Maresca to wrestle with.
Khusanov’s claim, Reis waiting for his chance
Abdukodir Khusanov offers pace and aggression suited to a higher line, and he’s already shown he can be trusted in big moments — enough to draw interest from Chelsea earlier this year.
Then there’s Vítor Reis, who impressed on loan at Girona and has been told by Maresca directly that he’s back in first-team plans for 2026-27, rather than facing a second loan away.
Whether that translates into regular starts is one of the more interesting subplots of pre-season — his ball-playing ability looks tailor-made for a coach who values building from the back.
Alleyne’s separate path
One name conspicuous by its absence from the fight: Max Alleyne. City are working to secure him a Championship loan for next season, having decided regular first-team football elsewhere matters more right now than a fringe role under Maresca.
It says something about the strength of competition above him that even a player who started senior games under Guardiola last season isn’t being considered for a place in the squad.
So, who misses out?
Somebody does. With Dias, Gvardiol, Guehi, Khusanov and now Reis all genuine contenders, City have four or five options for two starting shirts and, maybe, one rotation spot. It’s the kind of depth most Premier League clubs would kill for.
The question now is whether Maresca treats it as a luxury to manage carefully across a long season, or a queue that needs thinning before it becomes a problem.
