As a four-time Premier League champion, Manchester City has experienced an unusually poor season, with key players such as Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish, and Kevin De Bruyne underperforming. Currently, the team is ranked seventh in the league, having dropped out of the European competition spots. However, Manchester City has had several outstanding players in the past who, due to limited opportunities at the club, were forced to leave and subsequently excelled at their new teams, raising questions about the club's transfer capabilities. Let's take a look at five former players who have performed exceptionally well after leaving Manchester City.
Alvarez
According to Marca, Atletico Madrid has a win rate of 69.23% this season, setting a new record since Simeone took over the club, currently topping La Liga ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona. This outstanding performance is closely related to the Argentine forward Alvarez, who was acquired from Manchester City for 75 million euros this summer. Alvarez has scored 12 goals in various competitions this season, making him the top scorer within Manchester City.
Since joining Manchester City from River Plate, Alvarez has consistently performed well, contributing 36 goals and 18 assists in two seasons. However, his position at Manchester City was not stable, and he could not secure a regular starting spot. Consequently, he decided to join Atletico Madrid for 75 million euros. Now, with Haaland struggling alone on the front line and new signing Savigno yet to score, Alvarez's versatility and explosiveness would make Manchester City fans miss him even more.
Palmer
In September 2023, Chelsea acquired Palmer from Manchester City for 47 million euros, laying the foundation for Chelsea's resurgence this season. The 22-year-old English midfielder now has a market value of 130 million euros and is the absolute core of Chelsea's attack and defense. He has directly participated in 39 goals in the Premier League in 2024, surpassing Haaland's 38 goals in 2023. Palmer may even compete for the Ballon d'Or in the future. Palmer initially did not want to leave Manchester City, but with fierce competition in midfield, his playing opportunities were scarce. Additionally, Pep Guardiola underestimated Palmer's potential, which now appears to be a significant oversight by Manchester City.
Gittens
Like Palmer, Gittens is a product of Manchester City's youth academy. In 2020, he transferred to Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer. The 20-year-old English forward has become a key player in Dortmund's frontline, scoring 9 goals and providing 5 assists in 23 appearances this season, with a market value of 50 million euros.
As a technically skilled and explosive winger, Gittens' future is widely regarded as promising, with many top clubs, including Arsenal and Liverpool, interested in him. Borussia Dortmund has even priced him above 100 million euros. Dortmund places great importance on Gittens' development. According to ODsport, the club's sporting director, Zorc, renewed Gittens' contract a year ago, extending it until 2028.
Sane
In the summer of 2016, Sane joined Manchester City for 52 million euros. During his four seasons at the club, he fully demonstrated his speed, technique, and decisive shooting, achieving double-digit goals and assists for two consecutive seasons, contributing significantly to Manchester City's back-to-back Premier League titles.
Although Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola did not want to let Sane go, due to intense competition within the team, Sane's playing time was inconsistent, and he struggled to secure a permanent starting position, leading to his desire to join Bayern Munich. After joining Bayern, Sane has contributed double-digit goals and assists for four consecutive seasons. His ability to break through and cross from the flanks creates numerous scoring opportunities for the team. Moreover, his speed and agility provide strong support for Bayern's counter-attacking tactics.
Rogers
In July 2023, young midfielder Morgan Rogers transferred from Manchester City U21 to Middlesbrough for only 1.2 million euros. This January, Rogers joined Aston Villa from Middlesbrough. This season, Rogers has made 17 appearances for Aston Villa, scoring 5 goals and providing 3 assists. In the last round of the Premier League, when Manchester City lost 1-2 to Aston Villa, it was Rogers, the former Manchester City player, who scored the winning goal for Aston Villa. Rogers' current market value has reached 40 million euros. Villa's head coach, Emery, is very optimistic about Rogers' future and has already started cultivating him as the team's future core player.