As rival supporters revelled in the fallout from Manchester City’s guilty verdict, an unmistakably artificial clip began circulating online. It featured Erling Haaland—or a crude AI imitation of him—stumbling across a waterlogged pitch. “Boss, what the hell is this place?” the AI-generated Haaland asks before stepping into a muddy puddle, somersaulting through the air and crashing face-first into the ground.
For City’s rivals, the thought of the club’s biggest stars turning out at Bromley or Barnet is almost too entertaining to imagine. That could become reality if the eight-time Premier League champions are sent tumbling down the English football pyramid as punishment for breaching financial regulations.
Manchester City are expected to appeal, but should the verdict stand, a wide range of sanctions could still be imposed. A points deduction severe enough to send them out of the Premier League is one possibility, while expulsion could even leave the club facing a drop into Leagues One or Two.
If City were relegated that far, keeping their highest-paid players would appear extremely difficult. The club’s contracts are not believed to contain relegation clauses that would make departures straightforward, but the financial realities of life outside the top flight could still force major changes to the squad.
Should a fire sale follow, Daily Mail Sport has considered which Premier League clubs could emerge as the biggest bargain hunters for Manchester City’s star-studded squad…
If Manchester City are sent to the bottom of the football pyramid, they could lose their biggest stars
Erling Haaland to Arsenal
What better way for Arsenal to end their long-running search for a prolific striker than by signing one of the finest forwards in world football?
There would be no more debate over whether Viktor Gyokeres’ pace in behind defences is more valuable than Kai Havertz’s clever movement, link-up play and ability to create chances, even if the German occasionally misses a sitter. Arsenal could simply sign Haaland, put him at the top of the attack and let the Norwegian do what he does best.
Haaland would be able to continue challenging for major trophies, playing in the Champions League and working with another of Pep Guardiola’s protégés in Mikel Arteta—although Arteta has arguably developed a style increasingly reminiscent of Jose Mourinho.
The one compromise may be that Haaland would have to score more of his goals from corners and set pieces, rather than gliding into the penalty area at the end of Arsenal’s trademark passing sequences.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are reportedly keeping tabs on him, but a move across Manchester to United could also make sense. Ruben Amorim’s side create plenty of opportunities in open play and have spent years searching for a dependable striker capable of finishing them.
It would be reasonable to expect Haaland to be more clinical than Benjamin Sesko, Joshua Zirkzee, Rasmus Hojlund or Wout Weghorst. He would not even need to leave his house.
Erling Haaland leading the line for an already formidable Arsenal side would be a frightening prospect
Marc Guehi to Liverpool
This transfer almost happened a little over a year ago. Crystal Palace had agreed to sell Guehi for £35million on deadline day, with the defender completing the first part of his medical and the deal sheet submitted. Palace pulled out at the last moment, however, after failing to secure a replacement. Four months later, Guehi joined Manchester City.
If City are punished and a mass clear-out follows, Guehi’s move to Liverpool would offer an obvious solution.
Liverpool are already looking for the long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk, whose career is moving into its latter stages. The captain was forced to respond this week to what he called “nonsense” claims that he had asked former Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman to use a back five at the World Cup to protect him.
Whatever the truth of those claims, Liverpool must plan for life after Van Dijk. Guehi, another left-sided centre-back with considerable leadership qualities, would fit the profile. Liverpool missed out on him before—could they be handed another opportunity?
Jeremy Doku to Tottenham
Spurs have just bought two players with questionable goal records from City for massive money in Omar Marmoush and Savio so why not make it an unimpressive hat-trick. Five goals in 30 Premier League games for Doku last season, and three in 29 the campaign before, so he should fit right in at Spurs.
The only potential downside, of course, is that Tottenham may not be in the Premier League come next season either, though that would be down to their own incompetence rather than impropriety on an industrial scale.
Arsenal could do with some strengthening down their left flank, too, with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard both leaving this summer. Christos Tzolis is doing a fine job but he can’t do it all on his own.
Nico O’Reilly to Brighton
You suspect any City players jumping clear of the sinking ship would prefer their agents to wrangle moves to another club in the rough and tumble of a title race. Brighton, perhaps?
The Seagulls are soaring under Fabian Hurzeler, a manager who loves his full-backs to think like midfielders, one tucking inside to overload the central areas of the pitch while the other bombs forward, or both pushing high and wide as part of Brighton’s breathless press.
MUST READ: Flydubai Co-Pilot Accused of Cockpit Attack Was Grounded by Oman Air
Who better to understand those roles and responsibilities than Nico O’Reilly, who can do them all? He can play as a left-back, a holding midfielder, a box-to-box engine runner or even a No10. He was named the Premier League young player of the season.
Liverpool could do with a decent left-back too with Kostas Tsimikas and Milos Kerkez not pulling up any trees but, hey, if Brighton can get him on the cheap, they can probably flog him for three times the price in a few years like they usually do.
Elliot Anderson to Manchester United
He’s the one they wanted. He’s the one United planned to build their midfield around before Anderson chose the blue side of Manchester, so what better way to stick it to those soon-to-be ‘Quiet Neighbours’ than by pinching him off City in a cut-price deal.
For all their midfield summer signings of Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba and Andrey Santos, it still feels like something is missing. Anderson showed them exactly what in the Manchester derby as he bossed the midfield despite City being down to ten men.
If they get the chance to get their man once more, surely they take it.
England star Elliot Anderson (right) was who Man United wanted but he opted for their rivals
Rayan Cherki to Fulham
Fulham had an offer of an initial £12million accepted by Lyon for Cherki two years ago, only for the then 21-year-old to reportedly decide he didn’t fancy the move to west London. Maybe the prospect of a Tuesday night trip to Bromley’s Hayes Lane might make him reconsider. Probably not. Cherki is too good. Zinedine Zidane called him a ‘real baller’, which probably means he’ll just go to Real Madrid.
Ruben Dias to Chelsea
Ever since the departure of Thiago Silva, Chelsea have been in desperate, desperate need of some maturity, experience and leadership in their back line.
Wesley Fofana is a fine defender when he’s fit but none of Xabi Alonso’s options, even after spending £52million on Maxence Lacroix, can touch the organisation and winning mentality of Dias. They reportedly considered a move for John Stones after his summer exit, too, so you suspect they know the value of tapping into that City defence.
Antoine Semenyo to Liverpool
Liverpool still need to replace Mo Salah. Bradley Barcola is yet to prove he’s the man to do so, despite joining for £123million. Who better, then, to help fill that void than the winger turned into a player good enough for Pep Guardiola by the man now standing in the Liverpool dugout.
A reunion between Semenyo and Andoni Iraola from their days on the south coast at Bournemouth feels like the perfect match and one, you’d imagine, that won’t cost anything like £123million.
Enzo Fernandez to Aston Villa
For a team that’s spent its last few years having to flog its players to keep in line with Premier League financial rules, it’s unlikely they would be able to land a player who has now been sold twice for more than £100million. Good job, in this playful experiment, he’s going on the cheap.
He’d be the ideal fit for Unai Emery, who has just lost Youri Tielemans to Manchester United. Tielemans could sit deep and dictate tempo like a quarterback or push high behind the striker and create from the No10 role. That’s just what Fernandez can do. But if we’re being realistic, Real Madrid wanted him in the summer so that’ll be the more likely destination. How boring.
Enzo Fernandez has only just joined Man City in a massive £125million deal
Abdukodir Khusanov to Sunderland
Young, quick and with bags of raw talent still to be developed. That fits the Black Cats’ recruitment brief of signing young players with high resale value. Khusanov’s one of the quickest defenders in the league but it’s his physical dominance – he’s won every single aerial duel this season – that would make the Sunderland fans love him. It’s just a shame someone like Chelsea might snap him up first.
Iliman Ndiaye to Everton
I mean the ink probably isn’t even dry on the contract yet, is it? He’s likely only just figured out where the canteen is. Wouldn’t it be lovely for David Moyes to re-sign his best player for less than Everton sold him for and bank not only Ndiaye’s goals but a bit of cash too.
Phil Foden to…Manchester City?
Is Foden the one who stays? The local lad, who came through the academy, is he the one who sticks with a club that’s stuck by him and repays that faith by trying to get them back to where they want to be?
His form in recent seasons suggests he’s unlikely to get the Real Madrids and Barcelonas and Paris Saint-Germains queueing up. Arsenal were interested in the summer, and a player like Foden who looks a world beater one moment but frustrates the next screams Tottenham, but maybe, depending on the wage cut, he’s the one they rebuild around.