Man City's 10 biggest sales of all time

Updated: 15 Sept 2026 15:36 BST |
8 min read

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Sheikh Mansour took over Manchester City in 2008 and has subsequently spent astronomical sums of money to propel them to the top of English football.

Their expensively-assembled teams have dominated the Premier League in recent years, while the 2022-23 side also clinched a maiden Champions League crown.

Man City have also started to rake in large sums of money for wantaway players, with the 10-time league champions generating €337m in sales in the 2026 summer transfer window.

Below, FootballTransfers lists the 10 most expensive sales in Man City’s history.

10. Cole Palmer – €47m (Chelsea, 2023)

Cole Palmer was tipped to become a star for Man City after emerging through their youth system in September 2020 when making his debut against Burnley in the League Cup.

However, after making just 40 more appearances over the next two-and-a-bit seasons, Palmer snapped at the chance to play regular football at Chelsea.

And Palmer has gone on to establish himself as one of the best players in the Premier League with Chelsea, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2023-24.

9. Leroy Sane – €49m (Bayern Munich, 2020)

Leroy Sane is an unfortunate case of what might have been.

Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, Sane became one of the best wingers in the world, helping Man City win the domestic treble in 2018-19.

However, after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury sustained in August 2019, Sane opted for a fresh start at Bayern Munich in July 2020.

8. Gabriel Jesus – €52m (Arsenal, 2022)

Gabriel Jesus had a peculiar six-year spell at Man City.

Having developed a reputation as one of the most exciting young talents in Brazil, Jesus went on to record a respectable 95 goals and 45 assists in M11.

However, the forward was unable to become a regular starter under Guardiola and subsequently completed a move to Arsenal in the summer of 2022.

7. Ferran Torres – €55m (Barcelona, 2022)

Many Man City fans were disappointed to see Ferran Torres leave in the 2022 January transfer window, having only arrived from Valencia 17 months prior.

Torres operated through the middle and also as a wide forward for Man City, scoring a healthy 16 goals in all competitions, with 13 of them coming in 2020-21.

However, after Torres made it clear he wanted to take Barcelona up on their offer to sign him, Man City decided to cash in, making a profit on their €23m investment.

6. Nico Gonzalez – €56m (Newcastle United, 2026)

Nico Gonzalez is remembered fondly by Man City fans despite only making 59 appearances following his move from Porto in February 2025.

The midfielder played a key role in helping Man City overcome a poor start to the 2024-25 season by finishing third and qualifying for the Champions League.

Unable to lock down a starting berth in Manchester, however, Gonzalez joined Newcastle United in search of regular first-team football in the summer of 2026.

5. Raheem Sterling – €56.2m (Chelsea, 2022)

Raheem Sterling is widely remembered as one of best players in Man City’s history after an incredible seven-year spell at the Etihad Stadium.

The England international played a huge role in Man City dominating English football under Guardiola, scoring 131 goals in 339 games and winning four Premier League titles.

With just one year left on his contract at the time, Sterling sought pastures new by joining Chelsea in 2022, where he struggled to recapture the form he displayed at Man City.

4. Rodri – €60m (Barcelona, 2026)

One of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, Rodri was the beating heart of the Man City side that won four league titles in a row between 2021 and 2024.

Rodri was a near ever-present in his first five years with the club, before suffering an ACL injury which severely disrupted his final two seasons in England.

After showing incredible powers of recovery by captaining Spain to the 2026 World Cup, Rodri decided to join Barcelona ahead of Real Madrid that summer.

3. Tijjani Reijnders – €61m (Al-Qadsiah, 2026)

After sparkling on his Premier League debut for Man City against Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2025, many thought Tijjani Reijnders was going to become a star in England.

However, despite helping Man City win the League Cup and FA Cup in 2025-26, the Netherlands midfielder ultimately struggled for consistency.

And after just one season with the club, Reijnders received a lucrative offer from Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah in the summer of 2026 – a proposal he accepted.

2. Julian Alvarez – €75m (Atletico Madrid, 2024)

One of the best pieces of business in Man City’s history, the club made a significant profit on the sale of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2024.

Alvarez registered 36 goals and 19 assists in 103 games for Man City after joining from Argentine heavyweights River Plate for just €21.4m in 2022.

Keen to become a regular fixture elsewhere, Man City then sold Alvarez to Atletico for €75m, with the Argentina star going on to become one of the best players in La Liga.

1. Savio – €87.7m (Tottenham Hotspur, 2026)

And the most expensive sale in Man City’s history came in the summer of 2026 when the club accepted a big-money offer from Tottenham Hotspur for Savio.

The size of the fee raised eyebrows across Europe, with Savio having scored just two Premier League goals in two seasons with Man City.

However, Man City gladly accepted the offer from Spurs, using the cash to sign Senegal international Iliman Ndiaye from Everton for €70m.

The 10 biggest Man City sales of all time