---
title: "Manchester City: Sky Blues duo could leave this summer"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-transfer-gossip-news/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Daniel Clubbe"
section: "Manchester City News"
published: "2022-05-27T11:36:45Z"
modified: "2022-05-27T11:36:45Z"
---

# Manchester City: Sky Blues duo could leave this summer

**[Manchester City](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-news/) duo Ko Itakura and Taylor Harwood-Bellis could both leave the club this summer, according to a report from [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11787/12621228/celtic-jota-close-to-joining-in-permanent-deal-man-city-duo-ko-itakura-and-taylor-harwood-bellis-being-monitored).**

### The lowdown: Eternal loanees

Both Ikatura and Harwood-Bellis have spent much of their careers out on loan away from the Etihad in recent times, including the majority of the 2021/22 campaign.

Japan international defender Ikatura signed for City in 2019 but has since had [two spells](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ko-itakura/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/355816) at FC Groningen before joining FC Schalke 04 for the recent season.

Meanwhile, academy graduate Harwood-Bellis has spent time on loan at Blackburn Rovers and Anderlecht but [finished the term](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/taylor-harwood-bellis/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/503977) at Championship outfit Stoke, having joined in January.

[Man City latest developments!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest-developments-3/)

As both are set to return to Manchester for pre-season, their longer-term futures could be in jeopardy.

### The latest: Celtic interested

As per [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11787/12621228/celtic-jota-close-to-joining-in-permanent-deal-man-city-duo-ko-itakura-and-taylor-harwood-bellis-being-monitored), Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are believed to be ‘monitoring’ Manchester City’s 25-year-old Ikatura and 20-year-old Harwood-Bellis.

Both central defenders are on the radar of the Glasgow giants as it’s believed Schalke are struggling to meet a £6million option to buy for the [eight-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ko-itakura/nationalmannschaft/spieler/355816/verein_id/3435) Japan ace.

The report confirms at present ‘no contact’ has been made, however, Celtic may look to utilise a ‘good relationship’ with the club in an attempt to sign the City pair.

### The verdict: Double departure possible

Allowing the permanent transfer of Ikatura seems the best move for all parties at this stage as the Japanese centre-back approaches three years at the club [without](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ko-itakura/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/355816) so much of a sniff at first-team action under Pep Guardiola.

Signed for just £990,000 from J1-League side Kawasaki Frontale ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ko-itakura/transfers/spieler/355816)), the Citizens will make a profit on their expenditure and as such should be willing to sanction the sale.

The exit of Harwood-Bellis is a more complicated situation, as the starlet hailed for a [‘fantastic’](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/raheem-sterlings-classy-gesture-man-21125894) display against Oxford United in 2019 by Raheem Sterling clearly has a bright future and Guardiola may yet see a pathway to the senior side for the Stockport-born defender.

Perhaps a loan move to Celtic could be negotiated as the best option for the [four-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/taylor-harwood-bellis/nationalmannschaft/spieler/503977/verein_id/9565) England Under 21 prospect.

**In other news…** [**a Sky Sports pundit has backed one of Man City’s first-team stars to put pen to paper on a new contract**](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-news/gundogan-man-city-contract-agbonlahor-guardiola/)