Pep Guardiola has already provided these major hints about Man City’s summer transfer plans

Throughout this season the Manchester City manager has been asked about potential incomings and outgoings.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Like most Premier League clubs, it looks set to be a busy summer of transfers at Manchester City, with several incomings and outgoings expected.

The Sky Blues have already confirmed the arrivals of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, while Fernandinho is set to depart at the end of the current season.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But it’s likely there is much more business to be concluded, and Pep Guardiola has already provided plenty of insight into how he’ll approach the window.

Throughout the 2021/22 campaign, the City boss has regularly been asked for his opinion on the club’s transfer policy, meaning we already have some idea of what will happen at the Etihad in the coming months.

We’ve picked out some of the 51-year-old’s most telling quotes from press conferences this season which give a hint as to how the transfer window could pan out.

Here are six of the most telling Guardiola quotes from this season. Credit: Getty.Here are six of the most telling Guardiola quotes from this season. Credit: Getty.
Here are six of the most telling Guardiola quotes from this season. Credit: Getty.

Players can leave

In October, Guardiola was asked about comments made by Raheem Sterling that he would like to play abroad one day.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After discussing the winger’s situation, the Catalan was keen to highlight any City player who is unhappy with their playing time will be allowed to leave, assuming a fair price is agreed with another team.

“Players want to play all the time but I cannot assure them,” said the City manager. “The players know, I spoke many times with them; I cannot assure how many minutes every player is going to play.

“At the end there is a transfer window and you have to decide. I don’t want to see the players unhappy or a little bit upset. It is not the end of the world. There are many teams, many clubs, many managers, so you can do what you want. We don’t push barriers on that.

“Just make a phone call to the club and sort the situation. I’m not talking just for Raheem, but for all the players. You have to be there and fight and be good. After, in the transfer windows, that is the moment to decide.”

Strikers inbound?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Guardiola claimed in March that City would try and sign a striker: “It is impossible to handle it for a long time. The club need a striker and I think the club are going to try [to sign one],” he said at the time.

“If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. At the end we are going to adapt. If we don’t have a striker we play in a different way.”

Haaland’s transfer to City as already been confirmed. Credit: Getty.Haaland’s transfer to City as already been confirmed. Credit: Getty.
Haaland’s transfer to City as already been confirmed. Credit: Getty.

Of course, we now know City will have a new centre-forward in Haaland, but if the team transition back to a formation and tactical set-up based around a classic No.9, there’s every chance they will need back-up for the Norwegian.

Guardiola has also previously said he doesn’t see Gabriel Jesus as a striker, meaning there’s every chance City may have to go back into the market to find competition for Haaland, and someone to potentially cover if he misses games through injury.

Alvarez’s role

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Another player City have already signed is Alvarez, who can play centrally or in the wide attacking areas.

The Argentinian will meet up with the squad this summer and despite his lack of experience playing at the top level, Guardiola seemed to imply earlier this season that Alvarez will immediately play a significant role in the squad.

“Julian scores three goals in the last game for River Plate, and I think Man City make an incredible deal because he’s a player who is involved really well,” he explained. “I think next pre-season he will be with us and we will see what happens in the future.”

Planning for outgoings

Just last week, Guardiola also provided a hint that he and the club’s hierarchy are braced for several first-team players to request moves away from the club.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Always you have to think maybe five players are going to leave - which new five players have to come [to replace them]? Which players from the academy could be [involved with the first team], not just training and be part. This has to be constantly, every month, not years.

“The situation changes season by season because the players want to play. When you have an incredible squad like we have [of] 22, there are players who don’t play much - and they want to play and be happy and prove another thing.”

Jesus to depart?

One player who could move on is Jesus, and the Brazilian has been linked with a transfer to Arsenal this summer.

Speaking last month, Guardiola did admit there’s a chance the 25-year-old could leave City in the off season.

Gabriel Jesus has been linked with a move away from City this summer. Credit: Getty.Gabriel Jesus has been linked with a move away from City this summer. Credit: Getty.
Gabriel Jesus has been linked with a move away from City this summer. Credit: Getty.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Gabriel is a player of ours. I don’t know what is going to happen but he belongs to Manchester City,” said the former Barcelona boss.

“Maybe at the end of the season he signs a contract and we convince him to stay, maybe he decides he wants to leave. Now, I don’t care. Now it’s focus.”

Mahrez in demand?

Another star who has seen speculation about his future increase is Riyad Mahrez.

The winger enters the final year of his contract this summer and reports of him signing an extension have been thin on the ground, while he’s also become a less permanent fixture in City’s starting XI over the past month.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Asked in March about Mahrez’s future, Guardiola seemed to imply the former Leicester City man has plenty of admirers in the game.

“Yeah he’s an exceptional player, it’s all I can say,” the City boss responded to a question. “He’s a player that many teams would like to have.

“It’s difficult to find that, players like him. Not just me, the whole club has an incredibly high opinion of him and his quality, no doubt about that.”