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Manchester City have enough players signed on until 2025 to field a full starting XI for the next three seasons, with eight players contracted until 2026 and a further four until 2027.
City have become experts in forward planning, tying down key players before they have a chance of leaving for free, to ensure their world-class squad has a core for the coming seasons to sell the club to prospective signings.
With a number of talented youngsters signed up for years, an increasing number of that core are homegrown talents from the academy.
One player who won’t be in the squad come 2027 is Fernandinho — and he is one of two veterans out of contract this summer.
City have a shorter-term outlook with their older players, with the likes of Vincent Kompany and David Silva all handed smaller extensions in recent years, while Sergio Aguero wasn’t offered a new deal after a string of injuries.
In Fernandinho’s case, a one-year extension is a no-brainer for City as they start to plan for what next season’s squad could look like.
A new report this week from Brazil claims City are working behind the scenes on a new deal for Fernandinho, which may seem to some as unnecessary given his status this season as reserve defensive midfielder.
However, his presence in training and on the bench shouldn’t be underestimated, and it’s clear he is firmly part of this treble-chasing group as he is often one of the first to join celebrations on the sidelines.
With 11 league titles to his name across spells at Shakhtar Donetsk and City, plus a further 15 cups in that time, Fernandinho knows what it takes to win silverware. He is also one of few players in the squad to have a European title to his name, with a 2009 UEFA Cup winner’s medal in his collection.
For this City side to compete on three or four fronts every season, rotation is needed and everyone is familiar with the requirements that come with such a selection policy. Even if Rodri is first choice at the base of midfield, Fernandinho has already played a big role this season when Rodri has been rested, ensuring there are no slip-ups in the less ‘glamorous’ games.
He is regularly seen helping the younger players in the City squad, especially those from Brazil like Kayky, and he showed loan players like Metinho and Diego Rosa around Manchester as they settled in.
As a back-up defensive midfielder, City wouldn’t be able to find anyone better to replace Fernandinho, who is a self-appointed honorary Mancunian. As a captain, Fernandinho is one of the most successful in the Premier League, and City would sorely miss his leadership if he was to leave this summer.
As City chase a striker this year, they also know that a new defensive midfielder is the next transfer priority — Ilkay Gundogan is out of contract in 2023, by which time he will be 32. Kevin de Bruyne will also be 32 by the end of next season.
Keeping Fernandinho, who can still do a back-up role next year as he has shown this season, would give City time to buy that striker and turn attentions to a world-class midfielder.
If such a player was to arrive this summer, a season learning about Pep Guardiola’s demands alongside Fernandinho would be invaluable.
Add in his love of the club, his quiet-but-influential leadership, and experience of winning titles at the top level, and it’s any wonder that Fernandinho hasn’t been signed up already.
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