Pep Guardiola set to axe 18 first-team Manchester City stars this summer in huge squad overhaul
After an inconsistent first season, Spaniard will now oversee biggest shake-up for nearly 10 years with £150million transfer kitty
PEP GUARDIOLA is to oversee a massive shake-up of his Manchester City squad - with up to 18 players' futures at the Eithad hanging by a thread.
The Spanish boss has endured an inconsistent first season in England, and will be disappointed by his side's exit from the Champions League last night at Monaco.
Keep up to date with ALL the Manchester City news, gossip, transfers and goals on our club page plus fixtures, results and live match commentary
City lost 3-1 at Stade Louis II in the last-16 second leg, finishing 6-6 on aggregate with the French side going through on away goals having scored three in Manchester.
And it has prompted the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss to begin the biggest overhaul of a City playing squad since Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour bought the club in 2008.
The report he will have a transfer war-chest of £150m to spend on players - particularly defenders.
But the main focus is on out-of-favour or ageing players leaving the club, with seven first-teamers out of contract in July.
They are Yaya Touré, Gaël Clichy, Pablo Zabaleta, Willy Caballero, Jesús Navas, Bacary Sagna and young centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo.
Guardiola also has five of his squad out on loan around England and Europe - Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony and Jason Denayer.
most read in sport
That is not to mention some of his biggers stars having uncertain futures, such as the ever-injured captain Vincent Company, or Aleksandar Kolarov, whose deal ends in summer 2019.
Fabian Delph, Fernando and even young hotshot striker Kelechi Iheanacho are all seemingly out-of-favour.
And not to mention star turn Sergio Aguero, who lost his place to new signing Gabriel Jesus before the latter broke his foot.
England number one Joe Hart has gone on record saying he expects to leave - but his replacement Claudio Bravo has been a disaster, with a new goalkeeper surely on the cards.
City's full-backs are all over 30, so new ones are a must for Guardiola, plus another central-defender with Nicolas Otamendi not impressing.
The Manchester outfit do not have it any easier this weekend when Liverpool come calling - Jurgen Klopp having beaten them 1-0 earlier this season and 4-1 in the same fixture last term.
Liverpool are just one point behind City in fourth, with City having played a match more as well.