Cape Town - It may get worse before it gets better for dethroned Premier League champions with the club about to embark on a squad remodeling.
While on-loan midfielder Frank Lampard has played his last game for the Citizens, the futures of two of his fellow City midfielders Yaya Toure and James Milner are far less certain.
Milner is out of contract and weighing up his future with Liverpool reportedly interested in him, while Toure's outspoken agent has already claimed his client wants to leave.
"We will see, not only with those two names, who will stay here," City manager Manuel Pellegrini said after his side's final league fixture.
"James said he would take a decision at the end of the season and it just depends on what he wants to do with his future.
"We must respect that. He is a very important player and gave us a lot of spirit the whole year but he must decide his future."
James Milner has been linked with a free transfer to league rivals Arsenal and Liverpool as well as a move to the Serie A with Roma and Napoli reportedly keen on acquiring the England international's services.