Kevin De Bruyne & Bernardo Silva's time is over! Pep Guardiola told he can't blame disastrous Man City season on Rodri injury as ex-Liverpool star highlights deeper issues behind English champions' struggles

Former Liverpool star Didi Hamann wrote in his Sky Sports column that too many of City's key players are coming towards the end of their careers at the same time, resulting in a huge drop-off. He believes the City careers of Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and John Stones are over.

City have had a terrible campaign, sitting 17 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool with 13 matches to play and suffering their earliest Champions League exit since 2012-13. They have work to do simply to ensure they are back in Europe's elite club competition next season.

Hamann wrote: "Rodri's injury has hit City hard. He makes a team better, similar to [Virgil] Van Dijk at Liverpool. But the fact that they are falling apart is not just down to Rodri. Some players are in the autumn or late autumn of their careers and are no longer able to play at the highest level. Since Wednesday it has been clear that the time of this team with players like De Bruyne, Gundogan, Stones and Bernardo Silva is over. I find it hard to imagine him [Guardiola] staying beyond the summer. A separation would perhaps be best for both sides."

Guardiola looks ready to enact change at City by moving on eight first-team players this summer and refreshing his squad ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.