Manchester City seems to have the answer to two contract calls, but a crucial double decision looms.

Manchester City have rebuilt their squad over the past 18 months and the decisions now rest on four senior players

The evolution of Manchester City’s squad accelerated last weekend as the Blues won their first trophy since the 2024 Premier League title when they beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.

While the absence of silverware was less than two years old, the Wembley win confirmed the path this squad is on after a trophyless 2024-25 campaign.

The city has a core of experience alongside an abundance of emerging talent and while questions remain over Pep Guardiola’s future after the summer, the playing squad is in good shape.

This summer will likely see the departure of two long-serving City players in John Stones and Bernardo Silva when their contracts expire. Captain Bernardo said at the start of the campaign that he already knew what the future held and there was little suggestion he would pen new terms at the Etihad, although Guardiola would happily hand a new contract to a player he highly values.

For Stones, it’s the injuries that look set to end City’s new deal. The defender has struggled with fitness problems this term and was ruled out of the England squad this week with a groin problem. Guardiola has spoken about how a decision on Stones will need to take into account what he has shown over the past two years, and, sadly for the centerback, injury has prevented him from showing much.

The departures of Stones and Silva will bring a lot of experience out of the building, but City is in a position to cope with both exits. A summer transfer move for a new midfielder, with Elliott Anderson’s interest in Nottingham Forest, will certainly help cover Silva’s departure, while Abdukodeir Khasanov, Josko Guardiola, and Ruben Dias will ease the loss for Stones.

It is what could happen to two more City Stuarts that will raise plenty of intrigue in the coming months and potentially affect the Blues’ summer transfer plans.

Rodri and Phil Foden both see their contracts expire in 2027 and it is difficult to predict with confidence whether either will make it past that date.

Rodri expressed his admiration for La Liga and Real Madrid this week, and after advising people to listen to the full interview before making any conclusions, the possibility of Real signing the midfielder is difficult to overlook.

The 29-year-old is getting back to his best after suffering a serious knee injury and some setbacks. Guardiola believes that his star player won’t be fully recovered until the World Cup this summer, but both City and Rodri must decide whether to offer a new deal sooner rather than later.

The city will not stand in the way of either player if they want to leave and will likely receive a fee for Rodry this summer on a free transfer in 18 months rather than risk losing him.

The same will be true of Foden, although his future is more likely to be at City. The 25-year-old has struggled for form in recent months but is a player capable of being among the best in the country and the Etihad hopes he can return to the peak of his powers.

The potential World Cup and uncertainty surrounding Guardiola’s future will influence any contract talks over the next few months, but the club and player are keen to come to an agreement to extend their union contract with the Blues.

The city’s summer transfer business will provide further clues as to what the future holds as we wait for answers.