Haaland to Barcelona, Doku to Arsenal: Five major transfers that could happen after Man City verdict

Analysis

Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of their 115 financial breaches and their punishment is set to be officially announced in due course.

Enzo Maresca’s side have been accused of failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments between 2009 and 2018, and although the club have denied all accusations, they have been found guilty of all but one of their breaches, as per David Ornstein.

No sanctions have been decided yet and City are expected to appeal the verdict, with the case therefore set to drag on until a resolution is reached.

However, City could be handed a transfer ban or a points deduction if their appeal is unsuccessful, while more severe punishments could include being stripped of Premier League titles or being expelled from the Premier League.

When questioned by The Athletic, a City spokesperson said: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.

“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

City won three Premier League titles during the period of the alleged breaches and if a severe punishment is dished out, a host of the club’s biggest stars will undoubtedly look to leave - in a similar vein to how the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gianluca Zambrotta, Patrick Vieira, Fabio Cannavaro and Lilian Thuram left Juventus after they were sent to Serie B in 2006.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through five deals that could happen if Man City receive a hefty punishment, such as being expelled from the Premier League.

Erling Haaland to Barcelona

Raphinha has been in unstoppable form since becoming Barcelona’s new centre forward this season, however the Blaugrana are expected to pursue a like-for-like replacement for Robert Lewandowski next year after failing to finalise a deal for Julian Alvarez over the summer.

Erling Haaland has been on their radar for several years and while it would take a ludicrous fee to tempt Man City into a sale, regardless of their possible punishment, Barca would surely be interested to delve into transfer negotiations.

The Norway striker would reunite with former team-mate Rodri at Camp Nou and alongside Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, he would form the most fearsome forward line in world football.

Jeremy Doku to Arsenal

Arsenal need a new left winger and Jeremy Doku is the best left winger in the Premier League. So, if Man City are forced to sell their best players, Mikel Arteta’s side would almost certainly be keen to explore a deal for the Belgium star.

Doku arrived at the Etihad Stadium as an extremely raw prospect, but he has matured over the past 12 months and he would be a vast upgrade on Christos Tzolis in north London.

Arsenal have a near-perfect team for consistent Premier League success and adding Doku to their attacking roster would elevate them to another level of potency in forward areas.

Nico O’Reilly to Chelsea

Chelsea were strongly linked with a move for Nico O’Reilly during the 2025 January window and they saw an offer knocked back by City amid their pursuit of a Cole Palmer transfer repeat.

While they were unsuccessful back then, that could soon change and Chelsea will almost certainly look to rekindle their interest in the England star if City are required to sell.

O’Reilly is capable of playing at left-back or in central midfield and his immense technical quality would massively help Xabi Alonso as he looks to mould his Chelsea team in his image.

Marc Guehi to Liverpool

Liverpool were desperate to sign Marc Guehi last summer and it’s understood that a deal was virtually agreed on Deadline Day, with the England defender even filming a farewell video to Crystal Palace fans.

However, the deal ultimately collapsed and Guehi eventually joined Man City in January.

He has slotted in seamlessly at the Etihad Stadium and Liverpool would no doubt jump at the chance to finally sign him, with Virgil van Dijk now 35 years old.

Rayan Cherki to PSG

Rayan Cherki lit up the Premier League during his debut season at Man City and he has started the 2026-27 campaign in similar fashion, scoring three goals and providing two assists in five league matches so far this term.

PSG already have a stacked roster of attackers, however Cherki is a special talent and having missed out on his signature during his time at Lyon, they could be persuaded to finalise a deal next year.

Cherki would add additional attacking flair to Luis Enrique’s side and their reputation as the best team in Europe certainly wouldn’t be harmed by adding the France superstar to their squad.

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Written by

Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Cameron Smith is a Digital Content Producer for FootballTransfers, having joined the team upon its inception in November 2020.

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