Arsene Wenger believes Manchester City will need to bring a handful of new players into the club this summer amid the possible exits of several stars.
Ilkay Gundogan’s future is yet to be decided despite becoming just the second-ever captain to lead an English side to the Treble, while Bernardo Silva could also make a departure.
City have been linked with Mateo Kovacic in the meantime with speculation also suggesting the club holds interests in other Premier League stars.
The average age of the Blues squad is 28 with just seven players under the age of 26. However, that hasn’t stopped City from winning three trophies this season following Saturday’s Champions League final victory.
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Wenger says there are questions about how City move forward, though. Rico Lewis, Maximo Perrone, Cole Palmer, Erling Haaland, Sergio Gomez, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez are the only players 23 or under, something that concerns the former Arsenal boss.
He told beIN Sports that City are in danger of becoming an ageing side and suggested they might have to dip into the transfer market this summer despite this season’s success.
He said: “I must say, I was thinking as well at the celebrations: What do you do now at City? Do you go for a new challenge? Motivate yourself for a new challenge?
“Or do you stay, take advantage of the credit and continue to develop this team? They will lose maybe important players. This team is not an old team but there are no young players.
“Apart from Haaland, who is 22 now, all the others are between 24 and 32 years old. So two or three new players will need to change. They have to find the same quality again.”
Wenger went on to praise Pep Guardiola for his longevity at City, batting away suggestions that the success was down to the wealth of Sheikh Mansour, who attended the Champions League final in Istanbul.
Wenger added: "What I like about City is that they have huge financial resources they have used in an intelligent, rational and consistent way. They [the owners] bought Man City in 2007 and they were not impatient.
"The team that plays tonight, they slowly got rid of the players that do not meet the mentality you need to win at the top level. I don't speak about the quality, but the mental quality.”
The Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League is the ultimate footballing achievement and you can get your hands on the only official souvenir publication of Manchester City's history-making 2022-23 season, packed with amazing pictures, match reports and reaction. Get your copy here.
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