Man City Set to Reshape Their Attack with Dzeko and Jovetic Likely to Depart

With Manchester City set for a summer shakeup after a disappointing season, many of their current squad are playing for their futures.

Micah Richards, Alvaro Negredo, Scott Sinclair and John Guidetti are certain to leave, and James Milner and Bacary Sagna could very well follow them out the exit door.

And with City set to be free from the UEFA financial fair play sanctions that restricted their spending this season, a reshaping of their squad, which desperately requires an injection of youth and pace, is on the cards.

After a season in which he's scored just six goals, the worst tally of his City career, Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko could be allowed to leave if a suitable offer comes in.

In a recent Manchester Evening News poll, Dzeko topped the list of players City fans want to see depart this summer, with 79 per cent of voters suggesting he should be sold. Dzeko has so often been the saviour and scorer of vitally important goals, but his struggles this season have made some reassess his status in the squad.

If the club were to receive a decent offer, at 29, he may be seen as a sensible sale despite the fact that he signed a new four-year deal earlier in the season.

Add to that the expected departure of Stevan Jovetic, who was dropped from City's Champions League squad to make way for the January arrival of Wilfried Bony, and suddenly the front line looks in need of surgery. There's a real possibility one or two forwards will arrive in the next transfer window.

Sergio Aguero, the club's most feared marksman and most marketable off-field asset, is vital and won’t be given the club's blessing to move anywhere. Bony, 26, arrived in January and will be given time to show what he can do.

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Young home-grown players would surely top the club's list of priorities, but given the excessive premium placed on the likes of Raheem Sterling, they may have to look elsewhere.

Alvaro Morata, the Juventus striker, is the latest name to be linked with City, with the 22-year-old having scored on his international debut for Spain at the weekend. According to George Bellshaw of Metro, City are weighing up a £32.9 million deal to add him to their attacking options.

Another young forward reported to have caught City’s eye is Alexandre Lacazette, Lyon’s 23-year-old goal machine who has bagged 26 goals in 28 appearances this term.

And as reported by Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News, when asked recently whether he would be open to a move in the summer, he did little to quell the speculation.

Whether Morata or Lacazette proves to be on City's wishlist remains to be seen, but players of their ilk—young, hungry, talented—are likely to be what the club go for.

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With the average age of their squad pushing 29, and with the inertia that has set in this season at the Etihad, an injection of younger players is needed. At times, City have looked too lethargic to compete at the level they desire.

Jovetic's time at the club has been disappointing, with his first season ruined by injury and this one characterised by ineffective displays, and Dzeko's time could be done. If the club move them on—and there should be plenty of interest—refreshing their forward line with pace and goals is essential.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.